It started innocently. Matt and I were driving home from my cousin’s engagement party when we saw someone on the side of the road with a gas can putting gas into his car. Matt says to himself under his breath, “Dumba--.” And that is how it started.
So you can guess what Ryann’s new favorite word is? She has called me this probably five times and it rolls off of her tongue like she has been saying it her entire life.
“Mommy, are you listening? Dumba—“ she says through clenched teeth when I don’t respond right away.
“I said give that to me dumba—“ she tells her little brother as he gums up one of HIS Christmas presents.
Each time, we chide her-we don’t say that word, that is a bad word,[1]etc., etc. but after she goes a few days without saying it, it eventually comes back out-although she is starting to apologize right afterwards, much in the way I anticipate she will apologize when she is in high school and starts using the language she uses around her friends rather than the language reserved for her parents.
So I am wondering-is she too young to taste a little soap, or do we just keep ignoring it until it goes away? I am just waiting for it to come out again when we are out in public so that I can explain to everyone that she picked it up from her dad... :)
[1] While fighting back a smile and tears at the awkwardness of hearing such a sweet voice say such a bad word.
