Me to my kids: "There's a cat in a box. Is it alive or dead?' "Is it sick?" "No" Saffron: "Is there food? If there is, the cat is still probably alive". "The food is poisoned. Is the cat alive or dead?" Kids: "It's alive. Cats can sense poisoned food!" "It can't be sensed by the cat. Is it alive, or dead?" Saffron: "I DON'T WANT IT TO BE DEAD. SO IT'S ALIVE. OKAY?" Me, backing away: "The answer should be, both. Alive and dead" Saffron, aggressively: "IT'S ALIVE" Me: "Okay"