"Are you a bad mom?"

As parents one of the most interesting things you are tasked with is answering multitudes of questions that you would have never before thought to ask yourself and then are completely unsure of the answer. You also get asked "Why?" a lot.

One of my favorite Short Person questions is, "What am I made out of?" Thank goodness for rudimentary lessons in biology. We have a lot of fun finding bones in her hands she can feel, tendons in her arms, and muscles in her thighs.

But as many times as I've been asked extremely interesting questions, I was not prepared for the serious little face that appeared before me Saturday night and asked in a quiet tone, "Are you a bad mom?"

About a million things went through my head, including every parenting mistake I've made in her short four years, while I thought about the best way to respond to such a question.

A long explanation about how mommy really tries was probably not the best route. Neither was a dissertation on "live and learn" and "mommy's make mistakes".

In the end I decided to let her steer the conversation and responded, "Well... Do you love me?"

"Yes", she answered in her little voice.

"Okay. Do you think I take good care of you?"

"Yes."

"Do we have fun together?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, then no... I don't think I'm a bad mom."

"Okay!" Then she smiled that sweet little smile, gave me a hug, and ran out of the room... while I sat there wondering what in the world gave her the impression that she needed to ask such a question.