Today, D, my seven year old, wanted to make himself a sausage pancake.  He has done it before and knows how, but he asked how many seconds he should put it in the microwave.  So I told him 45.  I go about with my business, and the next thing I know, I hear his panicked voice calling my name.  I go into the kitchen and see smoke curling out of the microwave.  I rush to turn the exhaust fan on, which kicks out more smoke, which in turn starts me choking on the smoke.  I duck down, struggle to open the window, and get out of the kitchen.  There is smoke everywhere!  I start opening other windows, even though it is like 20 degrees outside.  My house is really stinking!!!!  I am asking him all sorts of questions trying to figure out what happened.  Did you take the plastic off?  Did you wrap it in a paper towel?  Did you only put it in for 45 seconds?  Are you sure you hit 45, and not 450?  Well, it turns out, he put in 45, then 5, then 6, then 3, then 1....  I guess he was waiting for the thing to scream out "I'm done now, you can take me out!"  Who knows.  But, he can no longer use the microwave, toaster, or toaster oven.  If that means eating cold cereal for breakfast, so be it.