The Bluff

bluffed, bluff·ing, bluffs: (verb) To impress, deter, or intimidate by a false display of confidence or strength.

Let me set the scene:
It's snack time and Elisan chose two snacks to eat. In most cases, if Elisan finishes her snack, she can pick out two pieces of candy for her afternoon treat. After I opened both snacks for her, she decided she didn't want one of them.

Here's how it went down.
Elisan: "Mommy, I don't want to eat this chocolate pudding. Now, can I have my candy?"

(Okay, there are two things wrong with this scenario. The first thing, is that for a 'healthy' snack, my kid is eating chocolate pudding. The second, is that the candy is a given in her mind.)

Mommy: "Um, no. You need to finish the pudding."
Elisan: "But, I don't want it anymore."
Mommy: "Well, I'm sorry. You picked it out, so you need to eat it."

(This conversation went on for about another minute or so. That's when I said...)

Mommy: "Well, I guess you can either eat your pudding or be punished."
Elisan: "Mommy, I think I want to be punished."
Mommy: "Okay. Let's go."

(She then followed me into her room for the punishment and realized that I was not bluffing. Then she said...)

Elisan: "Um, I think I want to eat my pudding now."

And she did.