May 19, 2013  |  6:22am
Beth: [age 4] "Let's play a game."
Me: "Okay. What do you want to play?"
Beth: "Let's play that aliens are attacking us. And we're tigers who have to fight them. And I'm your sidekick."
Me: "That sounds cool. Do we have names?"
Beth: "Yes! Your name is Azore."
Me: "Azore... that sounds cool. So what's your name?"
Beth: "Scratchypants."
Me: "Scratchypants? My sidekick's name is Scratchypants?"
Beth: "If this is going to be a problem, then maybe you should find a new sidekick."
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Filed under: aliens tigers alien superhero sidekick cool scratchypants names child children childhood kids girls dads play fathers fathering fatherhood
May 18, 2013  |  6:30am
Beth: [age 4, holding up a book] "Let's read another book. This one is really funny."
Me: "No, not right now."
Beth: "Just one more!"
Me: "You said that before the last book."
Beth: "But this time I really mean it. PLEASE?"
Me: "No, I need a break."
Beth: "Just one book!"
Me: "I read you five books in a row. Let's take a break."
Beth: [slyly] "If you don't read me another book, Mom is going to be mad at you."
Me: "No, she won't."
Beth: "Oh yes she will. I'm going to tell her all about it and she's going to be mad at you."
Me: "I doubt it."
Beth: "You're gonna be in trouble, mister!"
Me: "I'm not reading you another book right now. That's it. Stop asking."
Beth: "I'm just trying to help you stay out of trouble."
Me: "Clever, but no. We can sit and talk, or we can go play on the piano, or we can go outside. You decide."
Beth: [hopefully] "Read a book?"
Me: "NO."
Beth: [patting my arm] "Oh Daddy. Don't say I didn't warn you."
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Filed under: book reading books persistence trouble moms dads kids child children childhood parents parenting parenthood fathers fathering fatherhood library persistent
May 17, 2013  |  9:45am
"THIS! THIS RIGHT HERE! This is the last piece of french toast alive on earth, and IT’S ALL MINE! MINE MINE MINE!"

— Beth, age 4, while holding a bite of french toast on the end of her fork above her head like a champion’s Olympic torch. She then devoured it and began cackling maniacally.

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Filed under: waffle eating eat food breakfast fork champion maniac child children childhood kids girls dads fathers fathering fatherhood parents parenting parenthood french toast
May 15, 2013  |  2:14pm
Songs of the Girl, Part 3

If you have followed this blog for any period of time, you know my kids improvise songs quite regularly, especially when they are alone. Especially on the toilet. And especially quite loudly. I haven’t been writing down the lyrics as much as I’d like, but here is the latest set from Beth, age 4:

  1. Rayco the pet acorn,
    He’s my cute pet acorn,
    He came down from the leaves
    To be with me, me, meeeeee!
     
  2. Every number has a name.
    Every number has a dream.
    If they don’t be careful,
    They’re going to drown in the pool.
     
  3. Sherpa wool, sherpa wool,
    Is different from the snow.
    Sherpa wool, sherpa wool,
    Is the same color as the snow.
    Sherpa wool, sherpa wool,
    Is different from the snow.
    Snow falls from the sky,
    Sherpa wool doesn’t.
    Sherpa wool, sherpa wool, SHERPA WOOOOOOL!
     
  4. Bird beaks go to meat meat,
    And then they toot toot toot.
     
  5. I just came up to get a brush,
    And nosy where to there?
    I just came up to get a brush,
    And nosy where to there!
    (repeat 50x)
     
  6. Sun strings, sun strings,
    Shine through everythings,
    It’s really weird that the sun is hot
    And I don’t understand it but
    The sun is as bright as me!
     

Various past lyrics:

I should probably compile all these into one page, eh?

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Filed under: song songs lyrics improv improvisation child singing sing childhood parents children words dads parenting parenthood fathers fathering fatherhood
May 14, 2013  |  3:55pm

Not everyone will appreciate this, but these kids have rhythm. I shared Khaliyl’s original video in 2011, when he was 2 years old.

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May 13, 2013  |  5:07pm
This chart has been going around again lately. It’s still a good one. I first wrote about it six months ago, and the chart predates my post quite a bit. Major kudos to whoever came up with the original.

This chart has been going around again lately. It’s still a good one. I first wrote about it six months ago, and the chart predates my post quite a bit.

Major kudos to whoever came up with the original.

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Filed under: kids child children childhood toys toy gender gender norms play dads