Mother Mikkimoto Parenting Tip

When your child is small and he has twinkle eyes and cheeks like this:

and curls like that,
take pictures and keep them readily available.

So when he looks like this:

and says things like "MOM! I don't want to talk about it! OK!!?" or "FINE! MOM! Just STOP!" and then gives you an eye roll so big it shifts the gravitational pull of the moon....

you can look back at this picture of your sweet little imp when he was little and didn't talk back

and therefore you will be not be so tempted to put him on a unheated train car headed to Eastern Europe where he will be adopted by Evzen and Eliska and will spend the rest of his days working on their potato farm.

Of course I'm kidding. I'd make sure his train car was heated. Sheesh... what kind of mother do you think I am?