The "What If" Game

I have just spent the last half hour or so playing the "what if" game. It is somewhat like the "why" game, which we played a few years back, but this time it is even more thought-intensive.
The "what if" game goes something like this:

"Mom, why are there cameras in the grocery store?"
"Because some people make bad choices to steal things."
"But what if the cameras aren't facing them?"
"There is almost always at least one camera on them." (spoken with much authority, although I truly have no idea how many cameras Brookshires has.)
"But what if the people smash the cameras?"
"Then the camera would show them doing that and they would get in trouble."
"But why do they steal the food?"
"Because it costs money." (A lot of money at Brookshires!)
"But why does food have to cost money?"
"Because it costs money for them to get the food, and we have to pay for it. Everything costs money."
"But when we get books at the library, that doesn't cost money." (Seriously...I don't know how he came up with that so fast, so for a moment I am a little proud.)
"We are only borrowing the books. The library has to pay for them, and if we don't bring them back, we have to pay for the books."
"But what if you never go back to the library?"

I could go on and on, but I think you see how this game goes. It ends with me usually waving the white flag and asking for my brain and mouth to have a break. The "what if" game is very trying on the patience, BUT I recently heard that if you don't listen and talk with your kids when they are young, they are less likely to listen and talk with you when they are teenagers. So I have decided to endure the "what if" game to the level at which I can maintain my sanity, in the hopes that one day we will have meaningful conversations.

(BTW-for those who have asked, "the fever" is gone and Zach is doing much better....as you can tell by this post!)