I am a regular volunteer at both of my children’s classrooms. Part of my weekly volunteering duties at my 7-year-old’s classroom involves working with a small group of children. And over the past several months, I have gotten to know these kids, and apparently enough for at least one of them to take an interest in me.

“Mom? Mia asked me how old you are today.” 7-year-old.

“Oh. What did you tell her.” Me.

“I don’t know.” 7-year-old.

“Tomorrow, you can tell her that I am 29.” grinning, as I declared myself to the universal age for women past the age of 30.

“Mom! You CAN”T be 29!” 10-year-old stood up from their homework table, and stared at me with an incredulous look.

What’s wrong with this child!!

“WHY NOT!” I roared.

“I am 10 years old. If you are 29, then people will think that you had me at 19!” 10-year-old.

Wow…smiling to myself. I have successfully ingrained in my children that 19 is not an appropriate age to rear children. A proper 19 year old should be a busy sophomore in some nice university.

“Ah…good thing you know math…” me, “can I be 35 then?”

10-year-old tapped a finger on the temple, and then finally approved, “Yes, you can be 35.”

“Tell Mia that I am 35 tomorrow.” me, to my 7-year-old who was nodding in approval.