A key to parenting

is to learn patience early. And often. And exercise it when your 4-year-old decides she'd like to fingerpaint. And you (we're not mentioning who, but starts with an M and ends with an L and has ichae in the middle) particularly dislike the dirty hand feeling, even to the point of it bothering you to witness others having dirty hands for more than, say, a few seconds at a time...And you still facilitate fingerpainting. And even take pictures of the destruction for posterity and loving friends and relatives around the country. Even if said pictures give you the willies. Because just look how happy you've made said 4-year-old. She adores you.