Kids can certainly engage in rational thought at a young age, but when your three-year-old is screaming "WANT CANDY!", it's not a good time for a rational expla

Kids can certainly engage in rational thought at a young age, but when your three-year-old is screaming "WANT CANDY!", it's not a good time for a rational explanation for why the child is better off waiting for healthy food at dinner time. (Of course, generally speaking, when adults are screaming their heads off, it's not a good time to rationally engage with them, either....)