Counting On One's Hands

My four-year-old daughter, Kitty (names have been changed), made an amazing discovery last week.  The discovery came as she inspected her right hand.

"Dad, I only have five fingers!"

Holding up her right hand, she counted in order to verify, "one, two, three, four, five.  I only have five fingers!" 

She seemed concerned, panicked even, as if all of the work she needed to do could not possibly be done with only five fingers.  

Not satisfied, she counted again.  This time starting with her left hand, "one, two, three, four, five," moving back to the right hand she continued, "six, seven, eight, nine, twelve."

"Dad!  I have twelve fingers!"  This was even more concerning to her than when she only had five.  

She turned to six-year-old Mimi, "I have twelve fingers!"

"Count them again," Mimi calmly counseled.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.  Oh, okay."

Catastrophe averted.