One of my father's friends has a firm belief that regardless of whatever job you end up with, you never DON'T use your education.

I am here to state that this belief is proven true almost daily in my life, even though the only time I ever used that piddly little Bachelor's degree in psychology for a REAL job was right out of college at a Dickensian-like group home for abused and neglected boys in south Georgia. I lasted ... oh, 3 months or so, before I quit. My boyfriend at the time took me to Disney World to Forget. Then I became a cocktail waitress at a huge beach bar, making tons of money and having a much, much better time. I never again attempted to Help People with that degree.

But now, life with Flipper has reignited some latent Ms. Freud in me, and the results are, predictably, incredibly amusing. (At least to me!)

Picture this little scenario: Flipper, at home, having a pretty miserable, difficult, whiny afternoon. Little things quickly go from a tiny hole in one of the ten million pairs of stockings that she owns to a complete and utter mental collapse, replete with sobs and tears and much flailing of tiny limbs. Me, also at home, trying hard not to laugh, because it never ceases to amuse me to watch her have some sort of stereotypical "tantrum", which she almost never did as a toddler. Perhaps she is making up for lost time.

At any rate, I remain in my chair, steepling my fingers in front of my face, more in an attempt to hide a potential outburst of laughter than appear Deep and Thoughtful and Contemplative, although this is a beneficial side effect of said finger-positioning. My voice takes on the gentle, somewhat-distant tone of an old-school shrink. Envision me puffing some noxious pipe at the same time.

"Please go upstairs and put on a long-sleeved shirt so we can leave. You cannot wear that tank top outside because it is too cold." (Repeat 10 times). Finally, young child sits up and screams, "AND WHAT IF I REFUSE?!?!?!?"

Thoughtful nodding from parent-therapist as wheels churn behind blank face. What to do, what to do ... AHA!! Just employ an old, classic shrink-trick: Turn the question back around to the asker!!

"What do you think will happen if you refuse?" "I DON'T CARE!!!!"

But, blessedly, the screaming and flailing has lessened. Flipper pops up. "If I refuse then you can take away my clothes." Great. Just what I want to do, take away CLOTHES when it is freezing outside. Please let me manipulate this to my advantage so I can get back to my magazine!!

"You will be sad and hungry if we don't head to the restaurant soon. Please PUT SOME WARM CLOTHES ON!!!! Much relief. The tried-and-true method of calmspeak and edging-into-serious-anger works yet again. Freud would be proud.

So, kids, stay in school. You never know HOW that degree will come in useful.

Leigh appears Mondays on TriangleMom2Mom. Read more about Leigh at her blog Flipper and Me.