My eight-year-old daughter came to me begging for a Baby Annabell Pink Pram for Christmas and said: "If you have enough pennies by then, can you get me it?".

"To which I replied: "We'll see" (a firm favourite answer with most parents, no doubt). "Does that mean yes?" she smiled. "No, it's 'we'll see'."

An hour or so later she came back to me and announced: "Mummy, I have a brilliant idea, and you won't have to spend money on that pram."

Bemused, I asked what it was.

"It's just a great idea I've had. I'll just write it on my Father Christmas list, and it won't cost you a penny because he'll give it to me for free."

Yikes!!!! Help!!

Your comments:

How many of us parents have told their children in the past when the ice cream man comes playing his tune it means he hasn't got any left?

I don't know about kids saying the funniest things - we should have a corner of this website entitled "Parents say the funniest things"!!

Jenny Cammidge, York

Annette, I think it's time that you gently enlightened your daughter about how Father Christmas actually gets the things she puts on her list. People have to pay F.C. and then he looks on his list to see if enough money has been given to him to get what children have requested!!!

Many years ago more than 30, and I always remember this, my son was about 4 or 5 and wanted to go to the play park. I told him just to wait a little while, all I had to do was clean the mirrors. His reply to me was : "You don't need to do mine, Mummy. It's not dirty because I haven't looked in it." Well, what response was there to that?

I'm sure there could be a little corner of this site entitled "Children say the funniest things"...

Janet S Kitchen, York

Updated: 15:23 Thursday, October 13, 2005