As a hypothetical, let’s say your 6 year old daughter who chews gum during class to help her focus asks you for more gum.  A LOT of gum.  And you ask her where the gum has gone, because didn’t you just give her 2 packs of gum?  And what if she admits she’s been paying off the boys in her class to not play against her in games of Ga-ga?  She’s trading gum for advantage in a game of Israeli Dodgeball.

What do you do?  Do you…tell her it’s wrong to pay off her opponents with gum?  Do you…congratulate her Capitalist tendencies?  Do you…see it as bribery and shut down the gum trafficking?  Do you secretly think, “Good job gal…you’re making it past the Cornucopia in the Hunger Games. Keep it up in case of a reaping.”

It’s just a scenario.  I’m not suggesting my tu-tu/cowboy hat/karate-kicking daughter is winning Ga-ga games with gum.  It’s possible.  It may be probable.  But I’m not saying it.  I’m just saying IF THAT WERE THE CASE…the parenting here is A RATHER GREY AREA.