Words Between Mom and Boy, Part 2

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At Six
First bite into food. Mmmmmm. Life is good.

At Six-and-a-half
How many odd numbers are there? Are there more odd than even?

Mom, how many people are there in the world?

Mom, how old is Count Dooku? Yoda? Darth Vader?

What is three minus four? What is 13-15? What is negative zero?

Mommy, I know what 1000 minus 300 is. 700.
“HOW did you figure that out??”
By thinking. I thought hard.

“Tennyson, you’re talking back to Mom.”
No, I’m not.
*30 minutes later*
“Tennyson, you’re talking back to Mom.”
No, I’m not. OH — Yes, I am.

It was one of those days. He was just one bottomless appetite. I told him not to eat the boiled egg we were experimenting with for science.
The egg vanished.
He came over and whispered in my ear: Mom, I ate my homework.

At Seven
Umma, how much is 100%?
“All of it. No leftovers.”
How much is 300%?
*How to explain??*

Vocalizing his pleasure over the meal at the restaurant (yums and groans and all): Umma, I’m an expert at eating.

Umma, What makes God laugh?

Mom, is anything bigger than God? How many suns fit inside Him?

Aug 4, A barrage of questions ~
What colors do you mix to get white?

What color is make-believe?

Is there make-believe in outerspace?

Daddy: “Yeah, it’s called Star Wars.”

Aug 19
Boy: When you walked away [after yelling at me] my face got red as raspberries and I wanted to scare you [when you came back out of the room].
Mom: Oh, you wanted to startle me when I’ve asked you not to do that.
Boy: (Nod) Uh huh. I wanted to put my white sheet over my head and scare you like a ghost.

106 thoughts on “Words Between Mom and Boy, Part 2”

  2. Keep recording!!!! Such precious moments betweem Mother and Child. Tennyson will treasure these conversations for years to come!!!!!! D– I love love love that you are writing 🙂
    XOXO

    Reply

    • Ha ha no. I wouldn’t switch over like that. And that is most dear (and patient) of you to tap in (again I say) on a post that isn’t directly relevant. I’ve been meaning to post this for a while. And one reason I’ve been quiet is the new series in the works. *Grin* The guest writers have been waiting most patiently.

      Reply

      • From the miniseries on successful blogging you had inspired:

        “It is unthinkable that I almost closed shop in the early days. I was torn between the helpless writing and the uncertainty of blogging. ‘Who the hec wants to hear another mom blogger?’ I grumbled at my husband.”

        =)

        I’m not raggin’ on mom blogs. It’s just not how I’ve shaped my work.

  6. Oh do tell!! such precious moments! By the time he is 7 or 8 at that latest, you may feel like I did…not smart enough…those teachers keep outsmarting me! Keep sharing, it brings back such lovely memories.

    Reply

  9. When T asks you “how far is up?” Please tell me your answer. A kid’s ponderings are so many and varied. And I agree with utahrob: What colour is make believe? That’s a classic for sure.

    Reply

  11. The beautiful brilliance of a conversation with your son, a mind that is constantly learning and exploring… 🙂 You must fall asleep with a smile on your face even though feeling exhausted both physically and mentally from solving all these mysteries of the world!

    The color question is funny ~ I once told my parents that I had seen a color that was not in the color spectrum…so how could I describe it. They laugh and asked me to describe the feeling when I sawy it…and while I can’t remember what my reply was it lead to me asking questions about the color of feelings 🙂

    Reply

    • “a mind that is constantly learning and exploring.”
      you…solving all these mysteries of the world! ”

      I can’t keep up with the promise to “look it up” when I don’t know. He’s shooting them out faster than I can handle. He’ll have to solve them himself.

      I love your own wonderings on color. You bring me back to poetry. =) I used to have my students – in both public and private settings – mix sensory details (across categories), and so would ask them to ponder/describe the texture of pain or the color of a feeling. I am not surprised something so wonderful and out-of-the-box came from you, R.

      Reply

      • Great parents, and as I grow older I just keep on appreciating them more every day. Thank you for this comment ~ made me smile and think of them! Cheers!

  13. Oh, such life! I wanted to scare you like a ghost…my daughter once tried to shoot electricity out of her finger tips at a similar age. She said she was from Star Wars. When nothing happened, no power at all, she was absolutely furious!! We grow up, grow too serious, and children teach us to laugh at ourselves again. Such a lovely post which has brought back wonderful memories.

    Reply

  15. Oh, I better do my research to have more answers ready for such things. Sometimes, there are things that are hard to explain to kids. Like the other day, I was talking to my BF’s kid who’s mom left when he was maybe around or a little past a year old. He calls me “Mama Ge.” I had this conversation with him so he won’t be that confused when he grows older.

    ME: Who’s your mother?
    HIM (points at me): Mama Ge!
    ME: Me??? Who gave birth to you?
    HIM (points at me): Mama Ge!
    ME: But I have never gotten pregnant. You couldn’t have come from me. Who’s (name of the woman) then?
    HIM (scratches head for a while then with an unsure expression, points at me): You!
    ME: No, I’m not. That’s not my name. I’m Gi. Then who’s your brother’s mom then???
    HIM: (gives mom’s name)
    ME: See? You have the same mother so I can’t be yours.
    HIM (more confused): …?

    I thought I’d reserve a repeat of the conversation some other time when he’s older.

    Reply

    • Yeah, sounds like you might wait ’til he’s ready. Maybe he also doesn’t quite wANt or need to understand yet. =) They will come of age where they’ll insist on processing it. What he needs foremost now is your love, which he more than has. Very sweet of you to try and explain.

      Reply

    • There really are things small children do not need or want to know. Why smash his innocent world by giving him such information at his age?

      My sweet little Indian son wanted to believe he grew in my stomach, and we let him believe that until it was obvious he should know to keep from being mocked when he told people that. I was his “real” mother, but some other lady gave birth to him. Once when I was trying to help him settle in for a nap, he reached over and put his arm around me. I asked him if he loved me and he said with absolute confidence, “Yeh, I just wish you were brown though.”

      Isn’t that a check mark on his score card? He wished I were brown, not the other way around. He knew who he was and was not unhappy at all about it. When he was about four, my husband took him to Charleston, and the long drive there and back they talked about my being his real mother and the other lady being his birth mother. It worked and he still loves me very much.

      Reply

      • Thanks for sharing, Beth 🙂

        I’m not smashing his innocent world, though, but other people are, because sometimes adults can be so careless and unintentionally cruel. They’re the ones who keep telling him that, even teasing, so I am trying to un-confuse him, if there is such a word, and teach him not to hate her because currently, people have unintentionally but unapologetically taught him and his brother to hate her.

        There is a back story to this that would be too much to share, but I am afraid that this back story is only going to cause them to grow up sad and insecure. I want him/them to know that it doesn’t matter whether he’s/they’re from me or not because, like you, I am going to be their real mother.

      • I remember an article by one person following the blog who wrote “Prisoner’s Daughter.” She had a really messed up dad, but she still stayed in touch with him and did all she could to help him. You may remember that post. Anyway, someone was wise enough to help her stay in touch with her father and not hate him. Maybe these boys can stay in touch with their biological mother and not have regrets later in life.

      • Yes, that is something that I would like to happen, but currently, that is not possible because things are so complicated right now and even I would be wary of her intentions (long story). She does need to get her act together.

        I may have come across the article you mentioned, BTW 🙂

  16. Conversations with kids cover so much territory and don’t have to be logical in their flow. That is the delight of sitting down and talking with our young kids! Some of my family favorite comments are: My oldest son started a conversation about the reality of Santa with, “I have to ask you a question, but I’m not sure I want to know the answer.” Another time, my son wanted to talk about his favorite hobby- again. My enthusiasm wasn’t as great this time around, so he told me, “Just pretend to listen and say hmmm and yeah.” Thanks for sharing and bringing back some funny memories of my own!

    Reply

  21. Love it. Last time we were talking about the trials of parenthood. This is part of the joy. One of the things that really struck me on becoming a parent was how much each child has to learn. There’s so much out there to know. The process is amazing to me.

    Reply

  22. Keep in mind that some kids are smart enough to push buttons. They know what gets you going and so they play the part to keep you on the strings like a puppet. I may be mistaken, but your boy seems to have your number. LOL

    Reply

  26. Love the kids conversation. Like my son about that age crashed through a glass door thinking he — superman — could just go right through it. In fact, I remember as a kid myself very clearly seeing a lovely blue fairy come through the wall. Great sfuff here. Thanks

    Reply

  28. Ha, love it! I’ll try to get that color answer for you. Yesterday we were walking and the boy told me about all the exercising he’s been doing. He said it’s to get stronger so he can hit people harder when he becomes a boxer. I told him he probably shouldn’t be a boxer. He replied, ‘Well I need to make money somehow! What else will my job be?!?!”

    Reply

    • You’re right, Marie. You just made me appreciate again how I have access. There are many parents who don’t, for different physical challenges their children have. Thx for the read, as always. =)

      Xx
      D.

      Reply

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