Conversations with Mom

October 10, 2010

I jotted down a few reminders to myself regarding recent conversations that I have had with Benton, who is now 11 years old.  They went like this:

One day about 2 weeks ago, after I had spent most of the day cleaning, Benton came home from school.  As soon as he walked in the door, he asked me, “Who’s coming?”

Me:  What?
BB: Who’s coming?
Me: No one.
BB: No, I mean who’s coming? Why is it so clean?
Me: <Pause> Because it was DIRTY!
BB: Oh!

Hmmm…. I am not sure what that says about my cleaning habits.  Sadly, my child’s perception is that I only clean for company, which is, unfortunately, often the case.

Another conversation was slightly more amusing for me. This conversation took place while we were driving in the car one day.

BB: Mom, what does “Zing” mean?
Me: Zing? I don’t know what that is.
BB: Zing. You know. I see it on signs sometimes. Is it Chinese for something?
Me: What kind of signs?
BB: The yellow triangle.
Me: Can you spell it?
BB: X-I-N-G
Me: (Chuckling) Oh, you me a road sign for crossing.  The X is for the cross- part.

I missed explaining that “XING” was the Chinese word for crossing and that it was cheaper to purchase the Chinese version of the crossing sign since the signs were likely made in China. I just wasn’t fast enough in seeing where he was going with his question to have my “better” response ready to mess with his mind.

Posted in Benton, Julie