Conversations with the kids

Several years ago I remember having trouble with my kids not brushing their teeth in the morning. I wasn't there to get them off to school, a babysitter was with them, so I guess they thought they could get away with it.

I would come home from work and inspect their teeth. The first question out of my mouth was always, "did you brush your teeth this morning?" Of course they always did answer honestly. This one time in particular, we were actually driving in the car. I'm not sure why but Joey wasn't with us, it was just Jason, Rona and myself. So I asked my usual question about their teeth, and got the usual response "no."

Okay, I could see I was going to have to resort to some desperate measures here. I turned to look at Jason, and with a serious tone in my voice I said, "Do you know what happens when you don't brush your teeth?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, your teeth turn green and then they fall out."

He gives that some thought then he said, "I thought they turn yellow."

"Oh they do, first they turn yellow, then they turn green, then they fall out. See Jason, yours are already falling out." Oh my, you should have seen the look on his face, I knew I had him there.

Then Rona says, "MOM, those are his baby teeth they are suppose to fall out."

Man!! Rona spoils all of my fun. If she wouldn't of spoiled it, I would have had him convinced, and he would have started brushing his teeth twenty times a day without me even asking.

Not sure what made me think of that this morning, but I have to laugh every time I think of his expression when I told him that. I loved those days when the kids believed everything I'd say.

Here's another crazy conversation that I remember with my kids when they were younger. Another time they mixed up their words. I can't remember exactly what word they intended to use, but the word that came out was "cannibal".

Joey's face became distorted from his look of confusion, "what is cannibal?"

"Well, that is when one person eats another person."

"Mom, are you a cannibal?"

"Baby, when was the last time you saw me eat someone for lunch?"