On kids that can read

It is very exciting to have kids that can read.  It makes you feel proud and accomplished as a parent.  It makes you feel reassured about their potential and that you adequately gave them the start they needed as babies/toddlers/preschoolers/etc to be successful in an academic manner.  Reading isn't everything, but it is SOMETHING and a pretty big something at that.

All that being said, life can be more difficult when kids can read.  It has repeatedly required that I discuss a topic or topics when I am least prepared to do so.  Here are some recent examples:


1.  Mom? What is a terrorist?  What is a terrorist attack?  (Amelia after reading the news crawler on the TV at a restaurant.

2. Mom?  Why do they sell napkins in this bathroom?  Wouldn't it be gross to eat in here? (Amelia in the public bathroom.  and yes.  It would be gross to eat in there.)

3.  Mom?  What does control top mean? (William while in a store, reading a label.)

4.  Mom?  What are human-ly raised chickens?  Chickens are human, are they? (William at the grocery store.  Mispronouncing humanely.  No chickens are not human.  Humane is a different topic all together.)

5.  Mom?  What do they sell at Hooters? (William from the backseat of the car.  While I understand Hooters is a restaurant, I am not sure what they are selling.)

6. Mom?  Why did you turn there?  It says No Turning ahead (various child from the backseat.  It does say no turning, but it means ahead of us.  Not here.)

7.  Mom?  Why are some animals endengered? Don't people care? (William, from the backseat on a trip to Minnesota.  Yes, he misprounces endengered.  I find it endearing).

8. Mom?  Why does that shirt say "_________"  What does that mean? (William or Amelia.  Take your pick as to what the shirt says.  There are many options.  My favorite was the one that they wanted explained reading "I'm with stupid".)

9.  Mom?  If the sign says "No food or drink allowed" why is that lady bringing in coffee?  Isn't that a drink?  (Either kid.  At top volume in maximum proximity to the person we are discussing.)

10. Mom?  What is Ebola?  Why are all the people talking about it. (William after overhearing part of a discussion in the waiting room at the dr office and reading the signs about it.)

On Middle Names...

This story was reported to me by our sitter, who watches Gemma a few hours a week while I work.


The sitter, who we will call Ms. A. here (she has not given me permission to use her name here, nor do I think it is fair to talk about people I know very well on the internet without their permission).

Ms A and Gemma were talking about middle names.  Gemma was surprised to find out Ms A had a middle name.  Very surprised.

I imagine the conversation went something like this:

Ms A: everyone has a middle name!  Even me!
Gemma: You?  You?  You have middle name?
Ms A: Yes.  Yes!  I have a middle name.  My name is Ms A __________   ________  ________
Gemma: Middle name?  You?
Ms A: That is right!  I have a middle name.
Ms A: Do you have a middle name? (She is fully aware of Gemma's full name, just asking to see if Gemma knows her middle name).
Gemma: Yes.  I do.
Ms A: What is your middle name?
Gemma: Bean.  My name is Gemma Bean.

Mama! Do dat again!

We love this phrase. We love it a lot!

A challenge

When the regular Simon says game just isn't challenging enough.

Gemma is observant

Yes she is.

What goes ca-thunk in the night?

William rolling/wriggling/wiggling himself off the bed. To land between the bed and wall.

Uncle Mike

File this one under Uncle Mike (my brother, as opposed to John's brother or nephew).


Uncle Mike likes to eat potato chips with cottage cheese. William was the only one of our kids brave enough to try it !