Imagine this scenario. There’s a clear glass cookie jar loaded with chunky chocolate chip cookies in plain view sitting atop the kitchen table. There’s an 8-year-old in the room, but no mommy in sight. So what do you think this child’s next move will be? Pretty tempting, huh?

Now, before you answer to yourself, consider this: there’s nothing wrong with the concept of having the cookies in the jar, and there’s really nothing wrong with eating a cookie in general, but when the child reaches in the jar to take the cookie, he will no doubt get a stern reprimand should he be discovered. This child knows better than to take the cookie before dinner, but he tries anyway. Why? And what if, God forbid, the kid attempts to take more than just one cookie?