Gerry likes butter

Gerry really likes plain food with little embellishment. For example, he likes eating plain boiled rice, plain noodles (he will even pick out the green onions if he sees them) and plain bread or toast. However, we recently found out that he likes butter on his toast.

We were out at the local Cafe de Coral for breakfast when Gerry asked for butter on his toast! We immediately said no at which point he told us that his grandmother normally spreads butter on his toast before he eats it. The horror! It turns out that his grandmother has been secretly spreading butter on his toast without my knowledge!

To be honest, I'm not really averse to him putting butter on his toast so we agreed that it was okay for him to have some butter. Being such a small kid, he doesn't quite understand the concept or consequences of having too much butter. As a result, we had to tell him to only put a little bit of butter on his bread (try saying that quickly after a couple of pints!). Naturally, he asks why at which point we explain that having too much butter is bad for him and will make him fat. A couple more "why's?" later, we ended up explaining that being fat will mean that he can't run around as much (one of his favourite activities) before he accepted that too much butter wasn't a good thing.

Anyway, one day, while he was at home and playing with his toy kitchen, he decides to cook me a pancake. However, we don't have any toy pancakes so as a surrogate, he uses his toy steak instead. After he finishes cooking the steak, he picks up his toy knife and says "I put butter on it for you".

"Just a little bit Gerry," I say automatically. By now, this comes out without even thinking although I immediately realise how cute it is that he wants to help me put butter on my "toast".

"Why?" he asks.

Here we go again, I thought. "Because if you eat too much butter, it isn't good for you."

"Why?" he asks again.

"Because if you eat too much butter, then you will become fat and cannot run around."

He ponders this for a moment before coming up with the perfect answer. In a very matter of fact tone, he says "Oh, but you fat already."

Ouch.