when my wife went in the hospital for surgery several years ago， a rule prohibited children under 12 from visiting patients。
our 11 -year -old seemed to understand， but our six -year -old took the restriction very hard。 we discovered why she was so unusually upset when we heard her talking to her mother on the phone for the first time。 as she said good bye， she tearfully exclaimed，′i"ll see you when i"m 12，mom!′