I don’t know how to play Minecraft. Vian (5yo) decided he’s going to educate me. We’re now playing real-world Minecraft in the front yard without a computer. He’s narrating various aspects of the game as he’s walking around the front yard. A leather armor, iron ingot, wooden pickax, bedrock and so on. Then he delivers this pearl of wisdom. Vian: Here’s a good tip. When you’re in the game don’t mess with me....
The kids like to scare me by trying to jump out from under the covers and yell “BOO!”. I like to pretend that I’m scared of their tactics. The other day I decided to return the favor by suddenly entering their room and yelling “BOO!”. I managed to scare Vian and he started giggling in fear and shrunk back under his comforter. Me: Hey Vian, looks like I scared the bejeezus out of you....
Vian is back from school, wearing a button up shirt and slacks. Me: Vian, you look dapper today. Vian: Yeah. Today was picture day. Me: Oh yeah. Did you guys go out and take a picture? Vian: No. It was just someone else taking the picture. I didn’t take the picture. Talking to my kids is the best way for me to realize how imprecise my communication is.
Tonight we read Calvin and Hobbes for bedtime. After I read the comic strip above, I tried to explain a little about Michelangelo. Me: Remember, Michelangelo, we saw the statues he made when we went to Italy? Sempi: Yeah. Me: He’s a great sculptor. Do you guys remember the David statue? Vian: I know who Michelangelo is, he’s a TURTLE! o_O
Vian was playing with his stuffed animals. Vian: Watch my deer. It can do a somersault backwards. Sempi: (thinks for a bit, turns to me)… if you call a flip a somersault, do you call a backward flip a wintersugar? Me: What a terribly missed opportunity. They just call it a reverse somersault, those unimaginative linguists.