The Hazzards of Spelling !

OK, Have I got you wondering by the title, what possibly could be hazardous about spelling. Well I thought the same thing until today.

KZ is going through the Hooked on Phonics reading program and as you step through all the books every so often you get to a part that you have to spell words that you are learning using letter cards that are in the kit. So we get to this part of the book and have been on this part of the one book for that last few days reviewing. KZ has had some trouble at this part and we continue to practice until he gets it right. The words that he has been learning are all start with Sh, Th, Wh, and Ch.

Moving on here, we get the cards and start stepping through all the words that the book wants him to spell. Today compared to the other days he is doing very well and getting the words in just a few tries. Then we come across the word "SHOT". This is where it starts to get funny. He sounds the word out and get the S and the H right, but instead of and O he thought that it was spelled with and I and a T. Yes, that is right my son is already spelling swear words. I looked at it and had a hard time not laughing. KZ noticed that I was having a problem and asked me what was so funny. Not trying to kill the great progress I told him nothing and said that he had one of the letters wrong and had to make a change. So he looks at the word that he just spelled and pronounces it wrong a few times and then by golly he actually says the swear word correctly! Now this is where I really almost loose it altogether. I kept my composure and never told him what the word was or meant and he made the change necessary to make the word right. So we dodged a bullet this time. I am sure one of the two princesses may make the same mistake, but next time I will be prepared that the mistake may occur.

Lets hope he does not have to spell DUCK any time in the near future.

SNOT Wonderful SNOT!!

Well it has been over a month since I last posted anything on the blog. Hard to believe but I have been pretty busy. So I have had this post in my brain for awhile, time to get it on the site.

Snot..... a topic that my wife does not like to talk about, and I am sure she wishes that it did not even exist. However it does and anyone with little kids should know, you are going to see it at sometime as a parent weather you want to or snot! The other day CG was sitting at the dinner table and sucking on her thumb, now when CG sucks her thumb usually her pointer finger goes right up her nose. Hey why not your hand is that close to two of your body cavities why not start filling them up with fingers. I am surprised she has not filled up both nostrils with fingers. I guess you have to leave one passage clear for breathing however. But Mrs. Clean and I usually tell her to get her finger out of her nose, and most of the time she does so with out complaining. But not this time, her response and I am quoting "I want to get something out of it!" OK, well you can't argue to much with that why else would you stick your finger in your nose.

To continue on the topic and to further gross out my wife, what is the typical thing that you see kids do when they are congested and have more snot than they know what to do with. Do you see them run to the tissues and blow there nose. Heavens no, that would take precious time away from playing. I have a sleeve right here on my shirt. What do I need a tissue for? So their shirt turns into the snot rag. Or option number two is the old "suck and swallow" routine. You know what I mean, the kid starts to inhale trying to get any air through the clog in his nose and it sounds like they are trying to start a flooded lawn mower and when they can suck in no more the big gulp trying to get it down. Both quite effective if you don't have a tissue.

Then later in the month I had another snot moment with a co-worker. She was sitting at her desk in NYC and asked me if it was cold outside. My first thought was of course it was cold out, and I said well yes it is cold out. She says to me well is it REALLY cold out. My comment to her was "you mean like freeze the snot in your nose cold?" she laughs and says yes like that. I say "nope not that cold."

So I am sure that I grossed some people out but that it what snot is all about, grossing people out, I don't see much of any other purpose in it, unless your starting a collection! Until next time enjoy your snot responsibly.