Twice within the past week, Gigi has fallen asleep on the couch at night before brushing her teeth. We put her to bed. She wakes up at 3:30 am, comes to my side of bed in the master bedroom and announces that she must brush her teeth immediately because her bad breath is waking her up. This evening, after dinner, but well before the drowsiness had hit her, I asked if she would please brush her teeth soon so that we wouldn’t have to deal with the middle of the night brushing.

Gigi: In a minute, I will.

Cassie: How about now?

Gigi: (sighing loudly) If I do it too soon before I go to bed then the bad breath will come anyway. It’s a whole problem.

Cassie: Everyone has bad breath when they wake up in the morning, G. That’s why you brush your teeth first thing or after breakfast.

Gigi: I don’t like to have bad breath at any of the times. Especially when I’m sleeping.

Cassie: Well, the next time you feel the need to brush in the middle of the night — while all the rest of us are asleep — can you just handle it?

Gigi: No. You have to help me because that’s what the mother does.

Cassie: What about the father? Could the father help you brush teeth in the middle of the night?

Gigi: Nah….he would never be able to wake up.

(Oh.)