Who wears the pants?

Overheard today by a fly on the wall during our family's lunch...

Maggie: Why does Dad always get to pray before meals? [not true, by the way, but never start a land war in Asia and never argue with a 4-year-old]

James: Because Dad is the head of our family.

Jennifer: Oh really? Who says?

James: Me. The oldest male in the family is the head.

Jennifer: So, if Dad were gone, would you be the head?

James: No.

Jennifer: You know, James, in some times and places, that is the way it was. If Dad died, people would say to you, "Young man, you're the head of this family now. It is your job to take care of them." Would you like that?

James: No, that would be hard. I wouldn't like being a dad and having to drink coffee.

Maggie: So the head of the family gets to pray most of the time so Dad prays

Jennifer: What? Why do you say that dad is the head of the family and not mom?

Maggie: Because he gets to work first.

[So apparently, last fall when Jennifer taught the morning classes and "got to work first," then she was the head of the family. That makes it a pretty tenuous position in our household.]