@Susandoyle: I always wait until they stop talking/crying to breathe some. That's like a paragraph break or, to analogize to another medium, a commercial break.
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@thedisasterautist @Susandoyle
Depends on the relevant heat of the corndog. Offer them a bite, it might cheer them up or burn their face. If the latter occurs, you know you have time to listen some more.