We'll add it to your Christmas list dear!

Our elder said to her dad, "can I have a car please?"

"I think we'll need to ask Santa Claus" was his swift reply. It was August.

She regularly flicks through the Early Learning catalogue pointing at toys and saying "we've got that", "I want that one, Mummy", "And that one, Mummy". "Got that". "Got that". " I want that one, Mummy". So we started trying to manage her expectations. "If you've been a good girl you might get one or two presents off your list. We'll write a list for Santa when it's nearly Christmas." The delaying tactics seemed to be working, and she'd definately got the idea that she won't get everything she asks for.

It's surprising how much a three year old thinks though. Last week her dad told her that if she's a very very very good girl she'd perhaps get three presents off her list. There was a short pause.

"Daddy", she said in that drawn out way that children have perfected, "if I'm a very very very very good girl, can I have four presents?" Caught by surprise, he laughed.

"Yes dear, if you're a very very very very good girl you may get four presents at Christmas." There was another pause.

"Daddy". She said again.

"Yes".

"If I'm a very very very very very......." He interrupted;

"No!" he said laughing "No more than four presents, because Santa has not got enough room in his sledge."

"Oh!....OK" she said (with amazing acceptance).

Another pause.

"Daddy, if you're a very good boy, will you get presents for Christmas?"

"Yes dear, I hope so".

"You'd like a Barbie wouldn't you Daddy, and then you can share with me."