# Apparently, five is old enough to make toast **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235 "2004-12-30T12:21:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/1 "2004-12-30T12:21:45Z")
Yesterday was my youngest daughter’s birthday; she turned five. So yesterday late in the afternoon, I was in the dining room, and heard the familiar “pop” of the toaster. I said to the other folks “Does someone have something in the toaster?” and the little one says “I do”. I said “Honey, you’re not supposed to use the toaster all by yourself” to which she replies “No, Mommy, I’m five now; five is old enough; when I was four, I couldn’t. Four is too little to make toast. Five is big” But then she asked for my help to get the toast out of the toaster because it was hot. I guess at five, your hands haven’t toughened up yet. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/2 "2004-12-30T12:25:16Z")
Lovely, memorable post. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/3 "2004-12-30T12:30:30Z")
Imagine my surprise when my (3 yrs old tomorrow!) son came into the living room with a sippy cup with Ovaltine and milk in it. He got the milk, sippy cup and Ovaltine out by getting a chair and using it as a step ladder. He didn’t make much of mess, but he left everything out (wonder where he gets that from? :dubious: ). ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/4 "2004-12-30T12:31:06Z")
That’s rather sweet! 🙂 Stage One Toastmaking for Beginners - oops big girls of five. When six, then take out toast. I wonder when she’ll be bringing you breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day. 🙂 (Celyn can burn toast EVEN using a toaster. Then CelynCat panics, then chaos ensues. So I think that is a pretty good kid!🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/5 "2004-12-30T13:05:50Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > Celyn can burn toast EVEN using a toaster. Then CelynCat panics, then chaos ensues. So I think that is a pretty good kid! ) Yeah, she’s big on the independence thing. Right now, PBJ is her favorite kind of sandwich because it’s the kind she can make all by herself! ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/6 "2004-12-30T13:40:11Z")
OK, did anyone else imagine the kid lifting a glass for New Year’s when they read the title? Cute story. Just make sure she doesn’t try to wrap her pop tarts in a paper towel before she puts them in the toaster to prevent crumbs. Yeah, my kid did that. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/7 "2004-12-30T14:44:36Z")
> [@WVmom](#): > > Cute story. Just make sure she doesn’t try to wrap her pop tarts in a paper towel before she puts them in the toaster to prevent crumbs. Yeah, my kid did that. Well, I’m a horrible, terrible mommy insofar as she doesn’t know Pop Tarts are supposed to go in the toaster! When she gets 'em, she gets 'em cold! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/8 "2004-12-30T14:51:00Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Well, I’m a horrible, terrible mommy insofar as she doesn’t know Pop Tarts are supposed to go in the toaster! When she gets 'em, she gets 'em cold! 😉 We mircowave them to warm them up. No burned edges that way. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/9 "2004-12-30T14:54:39Z")
When my then seven year old son announced that he was old enough to run the vaccuum cleaner by himself, and that it was “fun,” I realized I was finally getting rewarded for the first seven months of his life when he didn’t sleep through the night. Parents get all sorts of goodies. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/10 "2004-12-30T14:59:05Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Well, I’m a horrible, terrible mommy insofar as she doesn’t know Pop Tarts are supposed to go in the toaster! When she gets 'em, she gets 'em cold! 😉 Yeah I don’t think my kids would know what to do if I handed them a toasted pop tart. They’d probably think I’d lost my mind. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/11 "2004-12-30T15:02:10Z")
On the day my niece turned four, she announced that she no longer had to use the child’s seat in the car because she was “four years or forty pounds”. All we could figure out was that she learned this from her cronies at preschool. Apparently during free time the kids sit around discussing their legal rights in the battle against parental tyranny. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/12 "2004-12-30T15:07:45Z")
And I’ll bet she was counting the days to her fourth birthday. I guess the milestones are 4 years, 18 years, and 21 years. (Oh, and 16, when you can get a driver’s license.) ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/13 "2004-12-30T15:30:39Z")
I’m not a parent. Could you cold-Pop-Tart-givers enlighten me as to why you consider it best to serve your children untoasted toaster pastries? ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/14 "2004-12-30T15:41:45Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I’m not a parent. Could you cold-Pop-Tart-givers enlighten me as to why you consider it best to serve your children untoasted toaster pastries? Cause it’s easier than heating it up just to let it cool down again so they don’t burn themselves, and they like them that way perfectly fine. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/15 "2004-12-30T16:26:12Z")
> [@misstee](#): > > We mircowave them to warm them up. No burned edges that way. But the crispy parts are the best! ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/16 "2004-12-30T17:51:24Z")
> [@laina\_f](#): > > On the day my niece turned four, she announced that she no longer had to use the child’s seat in the car because she was “four years or forty pounds”. All we could figure out was that she learned this from her cronies at preschool. Apparently during free time the kids sit around discussing their legal rights in the battle against parental tyranny. That’s the topic for the morning meeting. In the afternoon they discuss how exceeding the daily recommended intake on junk foods is okay because childrens’ metabolism is far more equipped to handle the calories as long as they chase a boy or play on the swings three times a week at recess. It’s just another way the parents are trying to keep them down. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/17 "2004-12-30T18:10:30Z")
> [@Greenback](#): > > That’s the topic for the morning meeting. In the afternoon they discuss how exceeding the daily recommended intake on junk foods is okay because childrens’ metabolism is far more equipped to handle the calories as long as they chase a boy or play on the swings three times a week at recess. It’s just another way the parents are trying to keep them down. Yeah, and during nap time they lay quietly and whisper to each other, exchanging ideas for looking like maybe, just maybe, you’re picking up your toys like your Mom said, when actually you’re just picking your nose and wiping it on your favorite stuffed animal. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/18 "2004-12-30T18:30:47Z")
When my son was about that age, he got tired of finding things that he’d be able to do when he was older. He didn’t know exactly what the youngest age was that he’d have to be to get to do anything he wanted, but he knew that he’d be old enough to do anything by the time he was 100, so he announced that his next birthday, he was going to turn 100. Then he could do anything. So, we gave him a 100th birthday party. Didn’t help any. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/19 "2004-12-30T18:35:46Z")
Well, hubby and I had a conversation with our newly-turned-five-year-old last night that went like this: Me: How old will you be on your _next_ birthday. Her: Ummmmmmmm (she took quite a bit of time to consider this) I don’t know. Hubby: Well, what comes after five? Her: Five and a half! I just love the logic of little kids! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![fontor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/34f0e0/32.png) [@fontor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fontor)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235/20 "2004-12-30T18:44:48Z")
Young logic is something else. My nine-year-old told me he still believes in the Easter Bunny. He said: “I know there’s an Easter Bunny, because _you_ wouldn’t buy that cheap chocolate!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-five-is-old-enough-to-make-toast/282235.md?page=2)