Yellow Card

Yesterday afternoon we watched the U.S. play Brazil in the final of soccer's Confederations Cup. After the U.S. upset Spain by winning 2-0 last week, we were hopeful that they'd win the cup. (Alas, the U.S. gave up an early 2-0 lead and lost to Brazil 3-2.)

Margot wandered in and out of the living room throughout the game, occasionally stopping to watch a little. At one point, one of the Brazilian players got a yellow card.

"What's a yellow card?" she asked.

"Well, if a player does something the referee thinks is unfair, like pushing or tripping another player, then he gets a yellow card," I explained.

"Like in hockey?" Margot asked. (Margot was a rabid Caps fan this past spring.) "Does he have to sit on the bench?"

"A yellow card is just a warning," I told her. "But if you get too many yellow cards, then yes, you have to sit on the bench."

"How old is he?" Margot asked, indicating the Brazilian player.

"Huh?" I asked. "I don't know. Why?"

"That's how long he'll have to sit on the bench," Margot explained.

Her logic was based on her (limited) knowledge of time-outs for bad behavior: one minute per year of life. We also employ this strategy at dinnertime: "four more bites for four-years-old." (Perhaps FIFA wants to reconsider their game rules to employ this logic.)