So, I’m at my sister’s place last weekend, and she’s telling me this hilarious story about her four-year-old, Emma, and their daily shoe saga. We’re sitting at her kitchen table, coffee in hand, and she’s laughing but also rolling her eyes as she dives into it. Apparently, every morning, Emma turns getting ready into a full-on standoff over shoes. That day, my sister was trying to get Emma ready to visit her Nana, and she figured she’d be clever and give Emma a choice to avoid the usual meltdown. She pulls out two pairs of shoes—hot pink ones with glittery straps and light pink ones with little flower decals. “Pick one, Emma,” she says, thinking she’s cracked the code. But Emma? Nope. She plants her hands on her hips, shakes her head so her curls bounce everywhere, and says, loud and clear, “Don’t be nudgy, Mommy! No shoes!” My sister’s jaw drops—she’s like, “Nudgy? Where’d you even learn that word?” Emma just giggles and bolts for the door, barefoot, ready to head to Nana’s like it’s no big deal. By the time they get to Nana’s house, Emma’s still barefoot, her toes practically dancing on the driveway gravel. My sister’s bracing for Nana to give her that classic mom look, but instead, Nana just laughs, scoops Emma up, and says, “Well, this one’s got spirit!” My sister’s shaking her head, telling me she’s half-exasperated, half-impressed at Emma’s stubborn streak. All I could do was crack up—Emma’s out here living her best barefoot life, telling her mom not to be nudgy. Kids, right? -Auntie Zoe M. Sioux Falls, SD