Legislated morality?

Yesterday I asked Anaya to go outside to pick some wild onions for our soup, a job that usually brings great delight. However, being in a lazy mood, she began to whine and argue, which soon culminated in a little trip to bed for a ten-minute time out (a fitting consequence for insisting she was far "too tired to help Mommy," I thought). When I came to let her out, I asked if her attitude had improved.

"Mommy," she began, pulling out a little Post-It note with a drawing on it, "see this picture? Over here, see this sad face?" She pointed to a mournful stick figure on the far right (her current drawing style makes them look a little like jellyfish). "That's Jesus. He's sad because of how you're treating me." She paused to evaluate if her artwork was having the desired effect. (It was not.) "See this person here?" she pointed to the very cheerful-looking stick figure on the far left. "That's you. You're happy about how you're treating me." She poked the one in the middle. "That's Satan. He's happy too."

"Well, Anaya, that's very interesting," I answered, getting up from her bed. "I can see you need more time out. But tell me," I was really struggling to keep a straight face, "why do mommies and daddies have to give their children consequences when they make bad choices?"

"Because it says to in the Bible," she growled, "in the law. But Satan wrote that." (Is it just me, or does my daughter do everything 110%?)

"That shows me that you need more time in your bed," I responded, "because you know that is a lie."

"It's not a lie!" she protested as I disappeared down the hall. "It's not a lie! Oh, wait, it is! I'm sorry!" This, all in one breath, was followed immediately by, "Can I get out now?"

We compromised. I asked for a revised drawing, which was produced with remarkable rapidity, and explained very cheerfully. Here it is for your enjoyment. That's Jesus on the left. It was also, very fortunately, followed by a prayer thanking God for telling mommies and daddies to "give children consequences."