When I was very young, the parents bought two piglets. I dearly loved those piglets (and took years to eat pork again after they were turned into dinner). One night mom was getting ready to go out with my father, took her curlers out and put on her make-up... I was watching her get ready. Finally 'Mommy?' 'What honey?' 'Your cuter than a baby pig!' Ok, in my little mind, that was a complement, and the best that I could think of!
Fast forward, I was getting ready to go to a parent teacher conference for my step daughter and didn't want to embarrass her, so on went the make-up, the works. My daughter was about 4, and asked me 'is that make-up?' I told her it was, and she started telling me how pretty I looked. I smiled and told her thank you, that it was really nice of her to say that. A few moments of hesitation, and... 'you put that on so the teachers don't see you ugly?'