Isms

Jennaism

At Jenna's preschool, the kids are often asked a question at the door as they leave to be picked up by their parents. These are simple questions related to the day's lesson, like naming something green, or something they can find in a fire station. Last week, the kids had been learning about bears and the letter B, so as we picked Jenna up on Friday afternoon, her teacher asked, "Name something that begins with "B"."

The first kid called out, "bear!" and ran out to his mother.

The next kid whispered, "Barbie!" and ran out to her mother.

Jenna walked slowly out to meet us and her teacher asked her in turn.

Emily, Kate and I listened, wondering if she'd pick "Bearaby" (her current favorite stuffed animal) or "bupbilla".

"Beluga." said Jenna.

Stunned silence for a second and then much high-fiving with the teacher and us. Jenna grinned and walked nonchalantly away. 

Back home later, I asked Jenna what a beluga was. She made me guess, and allowed me to ask questions to get clues. I was informed, in this sequence, that a beluga is

• an animal
• an animal that lives underwater
• a mammal
• warm-blooded
• a kind of whale
• a white whale

(but she wasn't sure if it laid eggs or not).

Kateism

On Friday night, Emily asked for chocolate chips for dessert. Getting this dessert is usually more work than I'd like, because it involves taking down the baking box from the highest shelf, and apportioning the different flavours of baking chips into small bowls. It is even less efficient if each child asks for this at different times. 

Kate, having seen Emily's bowl of chocolate chips, came to ask for hers.

"No, Kate." I said, "I've already put all them all away and I don't want to dig them all out again. Can I get you ice cream? Fruit popsicle? Yoghurt?"

No, I want chocolate chips, was Kate's firm stand, which became increasingly whiny and desperate as exhaustion from the long day took its toll on her. We don't reward whining, so Kate walked away unhappy and empty-handed.

Suddenly, she returned to the kitchen door, calm and earnest, and plaintively tried again.

"I'm sorry you have to dig them all out again but I don't care." 

Vanquished. Just like that. How irresistible is this combination of candor and consideration. When I was done laughing, I got up from the floor and gave her her chocolate chips.