You can’t explain things like this to a toddler. Or at least, you shouldn’t try unless you want to spend 10 hours being peppered with excruciating questions on the topic. By the time my boys were in preschool, though, I found myself unwilling to give many hard and fast ultimatums, or unequivocal yes or no answers. Life is nuanced, and even a five-year-old can understand that it’s okay to wear no pants in some circumstances, but not others.