Don’t Critique Her Knowledge

(My family and I have just left a restaurant after a less-than-stellar dining experience. We went in as a group of six when there were no other customers there, but ended up waiting about an hour for our food, even though everyone just ordered hamburgers, and when it did arrive the food was fairly lukewarm and tasted stale. We ended up watching three other parties come in, eat, and leave before we even got our food. Everyone is fairly upset and confused at that turn of events, and on the car ride home this conversation occurs.)

Little Sister: “I still can’t believe how bad that was. They didn’t even give a reason as to why it took so long!”

Mom: “I know, honey, but sometimes this happens.”

Little Sister: “You know what? When I’m older, I’m going to be a food critic, but I won’t tell them who I am. That way, everyone will know how bad they are!”

(Everyone in the car is quiet, and the adults are unsure how correct my sister.)

Me: *bluntly* “That’s how food critics work. They keep their identities secret to avoid getting special treatment.”

Little Sister: *wide-eyed in shock* “Wait, really?!”

(This happened years ago, and to this day my sister still has some pretty ridiculous “random thoughts.” She can, at the very least, see how ridiculous they can be, and has started writing them down to read and have a laugh at later on.)