[ this is a nice, safe, casual conversational topic they can discuss at length without anyone getting angry or anyone getting hit. ]

Yeah, he is, [ she agrees with more pride than any parent could ever have in their child. ] He might eat your homework, but I trained him to do that, so I'm not gonna apologize.

[ and then because she's a nervous parent who glances back up her lengthy driveway: ]

He really wasn't any trouble?