The goal

February 11^th, 2009, 4:43 PM

"Oh no, Mommy, I have to use the bathroom!" three-year-old Nephew announces, after nibbling his way through nearly an entire yogurt cone.

"Ok, we're almost home. What is it, pee or poo?"

"Both. Pee AND poo!!! I really have to go, Mommy..."

"We're almost there." This nearly-a-lie is delivered calmly by my sister, as she maneuvers the minivan through a good seven minutes of Florida traffic on the way to the house, almost ten in total after stopping to pick up the mail.

"Whatever you do, don't go here, in the car! Hold it! Hold it! Hold it! Hold it!" Niecey's admonition has become a chant, and Nephew joins in, while squirming in his car seat. Soon the car pulses with high-pitched kiddie voices, and it's deafening.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Kids! What's the goal, here, anyway?" I ask, thinking of the immediate necessity of the toilet, still miles away, and of the thankless, damp task ahead of me if things don't go as hoped.

Gears tick in youngsters' heads (three blessed seconds of silence), and five-year-old Niecey is first to voice her view. "The goal... is FUN!!!" she chirpily proclaims, with absolute certainty, wide eyes, and a bit of a teenager's world-weariness, because surely Auntie must know this, by now!

Despite the backseat commotion, I can't help but grin at all three of them. Sister grins back at me, while the kids continue their chant. Niecey's right, you know. From the mouths of babes come the clearest, most important principles of life. Why, oh why didn't I think of that? Of COURSE the goal is fun!

And, by the way, there was no need to worry. Nephew made it to the toilet like a pro. Unfortunately, bath time was nowhere near as easy...