Negotiating with Children

Today at Dinner, Arden quickly ate some corn then got down. After much discussion and some threats about why he shouldn't leave the table early, he finally said (for real, and he's only 4): "Look, you want me to stay at the table but I'm already done. I want to get down because I'm already done and you two will take a long time to finish, it doesn't make sense that you want me to stay at the table so it should be okay for me to get down."

To witch Anna and I replied: "OK" and marveled at our budding negotiator while wondering how parents every "guide" their children.