"Mommy, I want to go on a diet."

And now, my worst fears are realized. Erika is all of 9. She's active and a normal, slender girl. She does not need to go on a diet.

Where is this coming from? From some mean tween on the playground? From TV, which at times feels like the font of all her knowledge?

We are not a dieting kind of house (although some of the older members of the family probably should be dieting.) I've never restricted my kids' food much because they've never abused the privilege. We have junk food around the house, but they don't gorge on it. They like apples and baby carrots and pretzels. They might eat a piece of candy now and then, but they tend to forget they even have a Halloween stash. I figure if I don't make an issue of food, they won't either.

And so far, it's worked. Erika eats pancakes and waffles with little or no syrup. She takes the cheese off her pizza. She likes broccoli. Not because I've harped. She just tends toward healthy habits.

So, a diet? I ask her why, tell her she's healthy, explain that she already eats a pretty good diet. Why, Erika, why?

"No, I want to go on a healthy diet. No junk food. I'll just eat fruits and vegetables and protein. And one piece of garlic bread."

Oh. How can I argue with this?

"And I'll just have one brownie a day. Two. Maybe three."

Sounds like my kind of diet.