Massillon, OH – Phil Littlewood was trying to teach his six-year-old son, Mickey, about the interdependence of all things when things went south. “What part of you exactly is ‘my child’?” he asked Mickey, following up with “If I took away your arms and legs would you still be Mickey?”

Mickey reportedly broke out in hysterics, thinking his father was about to dismember him. “Don’t take my arms, Daddy!” he screamed.

Littlewood’s wife, Rebecca, ran into the room and asked what was going on. Littlewood explained he was simply trying to teach the Buddhist lesson of interdependence, that nothing exists in and of itself and labels are constructs, but his wife wasn’t having it.

“Look at him, he’s scared you’re going to cut his legs off, what’s wrong with you? He’s too young for your stupid spiritual lessons,” Rebecca told her husband and carried their son out of the room, assuring him he was going to get to keep his arms and legs.