I think the established wisdom about SAHM's (stay-at-home-moms) is that they need a bit of alone time to recoup their grace and splendour (aka sanity). Sharing misery or exhaustion I have often been urged to take a mommy-time-out at the spa or coffee-shop or restaurant or in the basement with the door shut. It is supposed to replenish us with love for our children and husbands and cooking and all that good stuff.
Since having the nanny two mornings a week and getting a bit more sleep in the past few weeks I have to say that the opposite has been true. After a few hours away from the kids I find myself reluctant to return to being a SAHM. I know we are not supposed to say this because it might tempt a malevolent deity to teach us a lesson, but I have been remembering how nice it was when Josh and I did not have kids and it was all quiet and there was room for self expression and self determination and many other phrases with "self" at the front. I miss it! I don't want a few stolen hours, or a job that drives all the tasks of a day into less time so I work two shifts. I just want privacy.
Some of you will be mentally rephrasing that to "personal space" but that is not it. I don't just want personal space. I want P-R-I-V-A-C-Y. I would like my desk to be private so that Frost and Wren do not smash my laptop and drop the bills all over. I want my breakfast to be private so I don't have to sit in squished avocado while I spoon dripping yoghurt into someone's mouth and pour milk into ovaltine from someone else and throw out the newspaper without reading it. I want our bedroom to be private so we can have sex if and when we want to - ok, after the kids are in bed. Unfortunately, half of them are in our bed still. The larger half of the children (by mass).
Of course, I had these desires before the respite nanny but I had forgotten how it felt to really kick back and drink a whole latte and then sit a while with an empty cup. That is the sweet time. The excess of solitude. The time when the ongoing assault of the child-noise is just soothed away. Who needs a massage when you have a nanny.
Of course, my moment of privacy as a blog author has come to an end abruptly as Wren cannot fathom how to play my voicemail since he has deleted it all already. He wants the voices to come out again. Sorry.
It is an appropriate ending to this observation.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Haircut happiness and lots of climbing
Its been less than a week since I last posted and I feel I need to write a book to cover all that has been happening.
First up, I had my long hair cut off. I went to a little local salon called Hair By Joey. Its not a salon strictly speaking, but a micro-salon in Joey's house in the Maple Leaf neighborhood. I have never before had a stylist LISTEN to me so intently and I am pleased with the result. Here is a picture of me with shorter hair with Wren in the background in the first one.
The next two pictures are from last week. During the last week in March we had the coldest weather on record. In the atmosphere above us (according to the NPR weather guy) they recorded the coldest temps in 32 years. As a result we had a rather freak snowstorm or series of snowstorms in the last week of March. In previous years I have been harvesting my first crop of lettuce and my potatoes were almost in. This year the soil temps are only mid 40's while we need 50's to plant. So, we are feeling the chill and my long coat had an extra workout.
Frost loved the snow and took the camera out in it to record his spring snowman. Wren was devastated that I would not let him romp outside (for long). It was just too damn cold! Wren is absolutely obsessed with being outside. Thankfully, we have had some mild sunny days this week and we have spent a long time each afternoon outside gardening. Wren loves it. He runs around and digs and tries to use the spade and the rake and picks up worms. It is going to be a fun summer with him.
I am trying to get our tax return finished so I am going to save some more Wren updates for another post. We are still here and more is coming soon!
First up, I had my long hair cut off. I went to a little local salon called Hair By Joey. Its not a salon strictly speaking, but a micro-salon in Joey's house in the Maple Leaf neighborhood. I have never before had a stylist LISTEN to me so intently and I am pleased with the result. Here is a picture of me with shorter hair with Wren in the background in the first one.
The next two pictures are from last week. During the last week in March we had the coldest weather on record. In the atmosphere above us (according to the NPR weather guy) they recorded the coldest temps in 32 years. As a result we had a rather freak snowstorm or series of snowstorms in the last week of March. In previous years I have been harvesting my first crop of lettuce and my potatoes were almost in. This year the soil temps are only mid 40's while we need 50's to plant. So, we are feeling the chill and my long coat had an extra workout.
Frost loved the snow and took the camera out in it to record his spring snowman. Wren was devastated that I would not let him romp outside (for long). It was just too damn cold! Wren is absolutely obsessed with being outside. Thankfully, we have had some mild sunny days this week and we have spent a long time each afternoon outside gardening. Wren loves it. He runs around and digs and tries to use the spade and the rake and picks up worms. It is going to be a fun summer with him.
I am trying to get our tax return finished so I am going to save some more Wren updates for another post. We are still here and more is coming soon!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Xeko Code LAMINA! Frost and the anagram
Frost and I are enjoying playing with our Xeko cards. As often happens, I bought a set at a thrift store for 50c and have had to spend $10 to supplement them with booster packs.
Our most recent accomplishment has been to solve Code LAMINA (aka Animal) in our Madagascar deck. After identifying the five code animals we decrypted the anagram EEDNNTOCC to spell "connected".
"All things in nature are connected" according to our Xeko wisdom.
We now have earned a new screen saver. Yippee!
Frost is very much in love with his hairy dwarf lemur furry.
"He is very cute. He is brown and has quite hairy ears. In real life he is about as big as a walnut but he is as big as an apple. I love him right as much as Wren. He is my little stuffy. I bought him and I am glad I have him. I love my hairy Dwarf Lemur. Signed - my hairy dwarf lemur and me" - Frost.
Our most recent accomplishment has been to solve Code LAMINA (aka Animal) in our Madagascar deck. After identifying the five code animals we decrypted the anagram EEDNNTOCC to spell "connected".
"All things in nature are connected" according to our Xeko wisdom.
We now have earned a new screen saver. Yippee!
Frost is very much in love with his hairy dwarf lemur furry.
"He is very cute. He is brown and has quite hairy ears. In real life he is about as big as a walnut but he is as big as an apple. I love him right as much as Wren. He is my little stuffy. I bought him and I am glad I have him. I love my hairy Dwarf Lemur. Signed - my hairy dwarf lemur and me" - Frost.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
"Have toothbrush, will travel"
Wren's obsession with the toothbrush has continued. When I get back this afternoon I will be able to post a picture of Wren taking the toothbrush with us in the car because his loss-of-toothbrush tantrum made it worthwhile. As I drove the kids to the thrift store our drive was punctuated by "BZZZZZ" [silence] "BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ" [silence] as he played with the on-off switch. He would not leave it in his carseat while in the store so I had to keep watch on him to avoid losing it. I was also looking for a chance to 'vanish' the toothbrush but Wren kept a tight clutch on it so that was impossible.
Here he is travelling in the Sedona with the toothbrush:
And he insisted on taking it into the store with us too:
That afternoon we had the "no, you can't mop the kitchen" conversation after he opened the broom closet and brought out the mop. He also dragged the mop bucket to the kitchen and cried and cried when the mop handle kept catching on the cabinets and did not move around like it does when I mop. Later, I locked the mop up and he lay and wept plaintively and loudly outside the broom closet for a long while.
Later still, I put water in the mop bucket and showed it to him then became distracted and left the bucket in the kitchen. He took out the mop and put it in the bucket then dragged the wet mop across the living room to ask for help in mopping.
ARGH!!!
I offered him the smaller kids mop and bucket but it is not the same model and he is not interested in it.
He loves to copy things I do and yesterday I found him dipping toilet paper into the toilet. I know that is not something I do exactly but the older people in the house seem to have a relationship with the toilet and he is not quite sure what it is.
When he finds a wet spot on the floor (dropped water, bath splashing, dishwasher emptying, pee) he gets a rag out of the kitchen drawer and wipes it up himself saying "uh oh, uh oh" all the time. He is very worried about wet floors because he has learned he often falls over on them.
I have just put Wren to bed, still clasping the toothbrush. I guess we have to use our old toothbrushes tonight.
Here he is travelling in the Sedona with the toothbrush:
And he insisted on taking it into the store with us too:
That afternoon we had the "no, you can't mop the kitchen" conversation after he opened the broom closet and brought out the mop. He also dragged the mop bucket to the kitchen and cried and cried when the mop handle kept catching on the cabinets and did not move around like it does when I mop. Later, I locked the mop up and he lay and wept plaintively and loudly outside the broom closet for a long while.Later still, I put water in the mop bucket and showed it to him then became distracted and left the bucket in the kitchen. He took out the mop and put it in the bucket then dragged the wet mop across the living room to ask for help in mopping.
ARGH!!!
I offered him the smaller kids mop and bucket but it is not the same model and he is not interested in it.
He loves to copy things I do and yesterday I found him dipping toilet paper into the toilet. I know that is not something I do exactly but the older people in the house seem to have a relationship with the toilet and he is not quite sure what it is.
When he finds a wet spot on the floor (dropped water, bath splashing, dishwasher emptying, pee) he gets a rag out of the kitchen drawer and wipes it up himself saying "uh oh, uh oh" all the time. He is very worried about wet floors because he has learned he often falls over on them.
I have just put Wren to bed, still clasping the toothbrush. I guess we have to use our old toothbrushes tonight.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
"Don't put my toothbrush in your shoe" (and other family arguments)
Wren has started to have tantrums when his will does not prevail. It started with the electric toothbrush at bedtime. One evening I allowed Wren to hold the electric toothbrush while I cleaned his teeth. After his teeth were done he did not want to let the brush go so I allowed him to take it to the bedroom where I managed to dress him holding a toothbrush in his hand. Then it was time to nurse so we lay down with the toothbrush between us. He hit me on the head with it. I took away the toothbrush and he started screaming and thrashing about. He nearly head butted me. I put him in the crib because he refused to nurse. He screamed for 10 minutes. It was bedtime and I had no idea what to do so I offered him my 'analog' toothbrush. He liked that. He explored its bristles and sucked the handle then settled down to nurse holding the brush. I put him in the crib with it and he let it go as he went to sleep. Argh!
His tantrums extend to even more impossible things. Things like riding the exercise bike and using a laptop computer. He stands by the exercise bike and points and says "UP UP UP". When I say "no" and do not lift him up to sit on the seat as Frost does he throws himself face down on the floor and cries and screams. Likewise if I do not allow him to sit at my desk and thump my laptop (the 'e' key has partially broken off from his usage).
I am a firm believer (if not practitioner) in positive discipline so I am trying to frame my parental requests in a collaborative way. I suggest that he plays with his toys instead of the electronics but he does not agree. Also, when playing he throws hard and heavy objects with the same enthusiasm as we throw balls. This has led to exciting statements such as:
"Wren, we don't throw elephants. We throw balls!"
Frost has received a number of injuries due to Wren hitting him with thrown remote controllers, wooden blocks, shoes etc. It is partially Frost's fault as he lies transfixed in front on the floor while watching TV and does not react in time to avoid impact. Still, Wren has also managed to headbut me on a few occasions as he throws a tantrum about being shod, or dressed, or fed or something else.
He is charming most of the time but he has a real will on him and I don't remember Frost being this demanding at this age.
His tantrums extend to even more impossible things. Things like riding the exercise bike and using a laptop computer. He stands by the exercise bike and points and says "UP UP UP". When I say "no" and do not lift him up to sit on the seat as Frost does he throws himself face down on the floor and cries and screams. Likewise if I do not allow him to sit at my desk and thump my laptop (the 'e' key has partially broken off from his usage).
I am a firm believer (if not practitioner) in positive discipline so I am trying to frame my parental requests in a collaborative way. I suggest that he plays with his toys instead of the electronics but he does not agree. Also, when playing he throws hard and heavy objects with the same enthusiasm as we throw balls. This has led to exciting statements such as:
"Wren, we don't throw elephants. We throw balls!"
Frost has received a number of injuries due to Wren hitting him with thrown remote controllers, wooden blocks, shoes etc. It is partially Frost's fault as he lies transfixed in front on the floor while watching TV and does not react in time to avoid impact. Still, Wren has also managed to headbut me on a few occasions as he throws a tantrum about being shod, or dressed, or fed or something else.
He is charming most of the time but he has a real will on him and I don't remember Frost being this demanding at this age.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Children's Tylenol - why do you have to use their cup?
This evening Frost developed a fever. At first it stayed low - around 100.5 - but by 10pm it had risen to 102.8. He was moaning as he tried to sleep and felt very warm so I decided to give him some Children's Tylenol to help him get some rest.
We have misplaced the cup supplied by the manufacturer. It went into the wash after the last round of diseases and it didn't find its way home to the medicine cupboard. However, I have many measuring tools from the days of Wren's oral medication and I happily measured off 10ml for Frost to suck up with my oral syringe.
That's when I noticed the big warning
"Use only the enclosed cup to give your child Children's Tylenol Elixir or Suspension Liquid. Tylenol products have been specially designed for use with the enclosed cup"
Does anyone know why or how? Do other measuring devices give wrong readings? Is 5ml of Children's Tylenol not really 5ml?
I started reading around a bit and found that people who are not medical professionals tend to measure things rather erratically and that measurement accuracy varies by method.
"CONCLUSIONS: Droppers and dosing cups were the most commonly used devices in the home for measuring liquid medications. Subjects were more likely to measure an acceptable dose with an oral syringe when compared with a dosing cup. However, a large proportion of study participants were unable to measure an accurate dose with either device. Community pharmacists should educate caregivers on the selection and proper use of measuring devices to improve the accuracy of medication administration in the home. "
[Accuracy of Oral Liquid Measuring Devices: Comparison of Dosing Cup and Oral Dosing SyringeParisa Sobhani, PharmD et al]
As this study finds - in general the level of accuracy with a cup is less than with an oral syringe. So, what is it about this magic cup? Have they taken account of the viscosity of the liquid and taken into account the amount usually left behind when you drink from the cup? If so, shouldn't they caution the adult not to let the child lick the cup clean? Not to scoop or scrape every last drop from the cup?
I am just confused and need more information to know how to recalibrate my oral syringe to delivery the correct dosage of this product.
Frost is doing ok and is now asleep in bed. We will check on him overnight and hope that he feels better tomorrow and that Wren does not sicken with our latest scourge.
We have misplaced the cup supplied by the manufacturer. It went into the wash after the last round of diseases and it didn't find its way home to the medicine cupboard. However, I have many measuring tools from the days of Wren's oral medication and I happily measured off 10ml for Frost to suck up with my oral syringe.
That's when I noticed the big warning
"Use only the enclosed cup to give your child Children's Tylenol Elixir or Suspension Liquid. Tylenol products have been specially designed for use with the enclosed cup"
Does anyone know why or how? Do other measuring devices give wrong readings? Is 5ml of Children's Tylenol not really 5ml?
I started reading around a bit and found that people who are not medical professionals tend to measure things rather erratically and that measurement accuracy varies by method.
"CONCLUSIONS: Droppers and dosing cups were the most commonly used devices in the home for measuring liquid medications. Subjects were more likely to measure an acceptable dose with an oral syringe when compared with a dosing cup. However, a large proportion of study participants were unable to measure an accurate dose with either device. Community pharmacists should educate caregivers on the selection and proper use of measuring devices to improve the accuracy of medication administration in the home. "
[Accuracy of Oral Liquid Measuring Devices: Comparison of Dosing Cup and Oral Dosing Syringe
As this study finds - in general the level of accuracy with a cup is less than with an oral syringe. So, what is it about this magic cup? Have they taken account of the viscosity of the liquid and taken into account the amount usually left behind when you drink from the cup? If so, shouldn't they caution the adult not to let the child lick the cup clean? Not to scoop or scrape every last drop from the cup?
I am just confused and need more information to know how to recalibrate my oral syringe to delivery the correct dosage of this product.
Frost is doing ok and is now asleep in bed. We will check on him overnight and hope that he feels better tomorrow and that Wren does not sicken with our latest scourge.
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Eagle Watching Trip
During Mum's last visit we went up North to the Upper Skagit area so Mum and Frost could go on a Bald Eagle watching raft ride. It has taken me a while to upload the pictures but here they are. In the first shot, Mum and Frost are about to board the bus from the meeting area to the launch site. The bus had a large black fin on the back in honor of its name Orca 2. At first, Frost was worried that I was not coming with him. He was also upset about all the layers of clothing he was being asked to wear. Frost does not like scratchy or hot clothing so he wore it on condition he could take it off if he became hot.
As you can see from this picture of the scenery. It was not exactly hot country. The river was snow-melt and there was still snow on the ground in the shade when we went upriver from Concrete.
Here are the "raft" crew on a tea break by the river. They saw about 10 eagles during the trip although it was not peak season.
Frost was very happy to be the lookout and called out warnings when he saw white water or anything significant. I only found out after the trip that he was not fitted with a child lifejacket. This one would not have been any good if they fell in. I have often said that if we travel to Indonesia with the kids we will take our own life jackets. That was since the leaky creaky fishing boat trip I took into the deep ocean with no form of life preserver on board. One motor was swamped, the swells were heavy and I was estimating how long I could float before I came within sight of land. Frost did not seem to face these anxieties on the trip although the water would have been a lot colder here.
Ah, an eagle. The greatest concentration of eagles was at the dam runoff where salmon are often killed being churned through water turbines. The eagles gather to eat the remains. We saw 5 eagles at the dam wall.
After the trip, Wren and I met Frost at the downriver landing. Frost is holding Wren back from entering the river as he searches for stones to throw.
Here the boys are throwing stones together.
As you can see from this picture of the scenery. It was not exactly hot country. The river was snow-melt and there was still snow on the ground in the shade when we went upriver from Concrete.
Here are the "raft" crew on a tea break by the river. They saw about 10 eagles during the trip although it was not peak season. 
Frost was very happy to be the lookout and called out warnings when he saw white water or anything significant. I only found out after the trip that he was not fitted with a child lifejacket. This one would not have been any good if they fell in. I have often said that if we travel to Indonesia with the kids we will take our own life jackets. That was since the leaky creaky fishing boat trip I took into the deep ocean with no form of life preserver on board. One motor was swamped, the swells were heavy and I was estimating how long I could float before I came within sight of land. Frost did not seem to face these anxieties on the trip although the water would have been a lot colder here.
Ah, an eagle. The greatest concentration of eagles was at the dam runoff where salmon are often killed being churned through water turbines. The eagles gather to eat the remains. We saw 5 eagles at the dam wall.
After the trip, Wren and I met Frost at the downriver landing. Frost is holding Wren back from entering the river as he searches for stones to throw.
Here the boys are throwing stones together.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
We have a minivan, candy and a golden egg
After a mammoth visit to the Kia dealer we are the exhausted owners of a 2006 Kia Sedona. It is dark blue and has done 18K miles. It is a bit scruffy but will be detailed next week.
Meanwhile, we are enjoying the space and views from all windows.
After a ridiculous offer and a more reasonable counter-offer we declined to trade in our Subaru Outback Ltd. So, if you know someone in the market for a 2002 Outback with leather seats and relatively low miles then give us a call! I am going to get the moonroof serviced this week and try and fine a tame detailer to save Wren from living in the garage while I tend the car.
This evening Joshua asked not to talk about cars. He had to wake up early (for him) to get to the Easter Egg hunt at the community center and is now napping on the couch. It was a fun time hunting for eggs and Wren enjoyed eating chocolate. Frost enjoyed racing other kids for eggs filled with candy. Also, he managed to find and grab one of 3 "golden eggs" containing tickets which could be redeemed for an easter basket with a few bags of candy and a toy in them. He was thrilled to get a golden egg and said it was one of the best things that had ever happened in his life.
Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the Easter Egg hunt because I used the video camera. I do have some great footage of the Joy Of the Golden Egg. Pictures of the minivan will follow.
Meanwhile, we are enjoying the space and views from all windows.
After a ridiculous offer and a more reasonable counter-offer we declined to trade in our Subaru Outback Ltd. So, if you know someone in the market for a 2002 Outback with leather seats and relatively low miles then give us a call! I am going to get the moonroof serviced this week and try and fine a tame detailer to save Wren from living in the garage while I tend the car.
This evening Joshua asked not to talk about cars. He had to wake up early (for him) to get to the Easter Egg hunt at the community center and is now napping on the couch. It was a fun time hunting for eggs and Wren enjoyed eating chocolate. Frost enjoyed racing other kids for eggs filled with candy. Also, he managed to find and grab one of 3 "golden eggs" containing tickets which could be redeemed for an easter basket with a few bags of candy and a toy in them. He was thrilled to get a golden egg and said it was one of the best things that had ever happened in his life.
Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the Easter Egg hunt because I used the video camera. I do have some great footage of the Joy Of the Golden Egg. Pictures of the minivan will follow.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
15 month Update
Yesterday Wren saw the pediatrician for his 15 month check-up and shots. He is quite scared of the pediatrician's office and cries and clings to me as soon as the nurse enters.
The appointment was pretty straightforward. Wren's stats are:
Weight: 23 lbs 9 ounces (35th percentile)
Height: 32 1/4 inches (90th percentile)
Head: 19 1/4 inches (85th percentile)
Although he has not gained a great deal of weight, Wren has managed to maintain his weight relative to the 35th percentile and his length and head have grown which satisfied our pediatrician that he is eating ok. We are still trying to encourage him to be a bit more enthusiastic about non-sugary food. He would each chocolate and donuts all day if I let him.
Wren is doing fine developmentally although he is speaking a bit less than she expected - I think I said he knows 10-20 words but that includes animal sounds. He is not a big talker in English although he speaks constantly in his own language of inflection and sign.
These are the words I can remember. Joshua can add more later. According to an online reference "The child’s vocabulary is constantly expanding and she will first learn those words that are most relevant in order to control and relate to her environment". These words give you a glimpse into the world Wren seeks to control.
Signs:
Milk
All done
Up
No
Waving
Words
Up
All done
Hi
'ello
Bye bye
Ma ma
Da Dai
'ice (dice)
'ight (light)
'ent (tent)
'ut (shut)
No no no (with wagging finger)
'ish (fish)
'rost (frost)
uh oh
hut hut (breathy = hot)
sounds
Vroom vroom
Moo
Oo oo (owl)
oof oof (dog)
'isss 'issss (snake)
rahr (bear)
He is doing well physically. He can almost run, can climb the ladder into the fort on his own (oops - must make sure the ladder is never left up), drink from a cup with some sloshing, eat with a spoon with lots of spilling and pick up anything he wants to eat and many things we don't want him to eat (like cat food). He can reach to the countertop with tippy toes and fingers and easily climbs onto chairs and from their to the table. He goes up and down stairs at speed and has started to try and step down small steps and to walk up steep hills and run down them repeatedly. These steep inclines are his latest fascination.
The appointment was pretty straightforward. Wren's stats are:
Weight: 23 lbs 9 ounces (35th percentile)
Height: 32 1/4 inches (90th percentile)
Head: 19 1/4 inches (85th percentile)
Although he has not gained a great deal of weight, Wren has managed to maintain his weight relative to the 35th percentile and his length and head have grown which satisfied our pediatrician that he is eating ok. We are still trying to encourage him to be a bit more enthusiastic about non-sugary food. He would each chocolate and donuts all day if I let him.
Wren is doing fine developmentally although he is speaking a bit less than she expected - I think I said he knows 10-20 words but that includes animal sounds. He is not a big talker in English although he speaks constantly in his own language of inflection and sign.
These are the words I can remember. Joshua can add more later. According to an online reference "The child’s vocabulary is constantly expanding and she will first learn those words that are most relevant in order to control and relate to her environment". These words give you a glimpse into the world Wren seeks to control.
Signs:
Milk
All done
Up
No
Waving
Words
Up
All done
Hi
'ello
Bye bye
Ma ma
Da Dai
'ice (dice)
'ight (light)
'ent (tent)
'ut (shut)
No no no (with wagging finger)
'ish (fish)
'rost (frost)
uh oh
hut hut (breathy = hot)
sounds
Vroom vroom
Moo
Oo oo (owl)
oof oof (dog)
'isss 'issss (snake)
rahr (bear)
He is doing well physically. He can almost run, can climb the ladder into the fort on his own (oops - must make sure the ladder is never left up), drink from a cup with some sloshing, eat with a spoon with lots of spilling and pick up anything he wants to eat and many things we don't want him to eat (like cat food). He can reach to the countertop with tippy toes and fingers and easily climbs onto chairs and from their to the table. He goes up and down stairs at speed and has started to try and step down small steps and to walk up steep hills and run down them repeatedly. These steep inclines are his latest fascination.
Frost, the president and the J-word
Frost and I have some of our best conversations in the car. This morning, driving to school, he asked:
"How old do you have to be to vote in the election?"
I replied that I thought you had to be eighteen.
"That's not fair!" he said. "Everyone should be able to vote."
"Who would you vote for?" I asked.
"Probably Obama."
"Why?"
"No reason really."
"Well," I said (wearing my Clever Parenting hat) "that's probably why you have to be 18 to vote - you need to have a reason why you are voting for a president."
"Hmmm" said Frost. Then there was a pause. "Actually, I do have a reason. All my friends and my family are voting for Obama and I like to be part of my friends and family so I would vote for him to be part of it."
"Uh huh" I said. "That's a good reason for a kid but its better if you know something about the candidates and decide what you like and don't like about them."
"Oh!" Frost sounded pleased. "Actually, I do have some reason thats presidental. HILLARY WANTS WAR! Obama doesn't want war. That is why I would vote for Obama!"
"Why do you think Hillary wants war?"
"I dunno. I heard it somewhere. Maybe Fred told me. Or Alex. Hillary is being the J-word!"
Me: "The J-word?"
Frost: "You know, the J-word"
Me: "No, I don't know. What's the J word?"
Frost whispers so Wren can't hear: "Jerk"
Me: "Oh, jerk."
[long pause while parenting responses are considered]
Me: I don't think Hillary Clinton or Obama are being jerks really, they would both be good presidents. Its just a competition about who might be president right now so people say good and bad things about each candidate to try and persuade you they are right.
[long pause as we drive around Greenlake]
Frost: Why can grownups say the J-word but kids can't? Why can grown-ups swear and kids can't?
Me: Well, no-one should swear really. They should try and use words to describe what they mean but you can't really tell grownups what to do so sometimes they are a bit lazy and just use a swear word instead of explaining their feelings. But nobody should swear so grownups ask kids not to. Also, some people get angry with kids and grownups if they swear and think you are not such a nice person.
Frost: 'Cos when Joshua was talking about Hillary he said she was being the J-word!
"How old do you have to be to vote in the election?"
I replied that I thought you had to be eighteen.
"That's not fair!" he said. "Everyone should be able to vote."
"Who would you vote for?" I asked.
"Probably Obama."
"Why?"
"No reason really."
"Well," I said (wearing my Clever Parenting hat) "that's probably why you have to be 18 to vote - you need to have a reason why you are voting for a president."
"Hmmm" said Frost. Then there was a pause. "Actually, I do have a reason. All my friends and my family are voting for Obama and I like to be part of my friends and family so I would vote for him to be part of it."
"Uh huh" I said. "That's a good reason for a kid but its better if you know something about the candidates and decide what you like and don't like about them."
"Oh!" Frost sounded pleased. "Actually, I do have some reason thats presidental. HILLARY WANTS WAR! Obama doesn't want war. That is why I would vote for Obama!"
"Why do you think Hillary wants war?"
"I dunno. I heard it somewhere. Maybe Fred told me. Or Alex. Hillary is being the J-word!"
Me: "The J-word?"
Frost: "You know, the J-word"
Me: "No, I don't know. What's the J word?"
Frost whispers so Wren can't hear: "Jerk"
Me: "Oh, jerk."
[long pause while parenting responses are considered]
Me: I don't think Hillary Clinton or Obama are being jerks really, they would both be good presidents. Its just a competition about who might be president right now so people say good and bad things about each candidate to try and persuade you they are right.
[long pause as we drive around Greenlake]
Frost: Why can grownups say the J-word but kids can't? Why can grown-ups swear and kids can't?
Me: Well, no-one should swear really. They should try and use words to describe what they mean but you can't really tell grownups what to do so sometimes they are a bit lazy and just use a swear word instead of explaining their feelings. But nobody should swear so grownups ask kids not to. Also, some people get angry with kids and grownups if they swear and think you are not such a nice person.
Frost: 'Cos when Joshua was talking about Hillary he said she was being the J-word!
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