The other day I watched a little boy get knocked to the ground by an older kid who was running by. He burst into tears as his mother hurried over.
“Here’s a bandaid for ya,” I said, producing one from my vest pocket.
“Oh, he’s not bleeding, thank you though!”
I lowered my voice and leaned in. “Kids think bandaids are health magic,” I said. “Ask him where it hurts and exploit that placebo effect.”
She did just that, and instantly the kid stopped crying and thanked her. “I’ll have to remember that,” she said.