Fudge!

Mom said I had to write this one down, so I wouldn't forget. I don't know how I'll ever forget this one, but I've been known to go spacey on important stuff before so here goes.

For the sake of decency, I will be using the word 'fudge' in place of the offensive four letter word that starts with 'f' that was the true source of serious conversation and hilarity yesterday. Keep in mind, I was still in my robe and only about 3 sips into my first cup of coffee when this dialogue began. I wasn't on my A-game, otherwise I am sure I would have been much more quick witted and had better responses for my 5 year old.

Scooter has been experimenting with rhymes and initial sounds of words for months. Intensively experimental, I might add. I often spend 30-45 minutes at a time answering questions like 'Does happy rhyme with haggy?' Scooter knows he is being silly when he makes up words to rhyme and he likes to make me laugh. It cracks him up.

So yesterday morning he started out with 'Does Randy (our next door neighbor) rhyme with Riley?'

Yes

Does it rhyme because it has the same sound?

Yes, and if we called you Scotty instead of Scooter, you would rhyme too

No, I have an 's' sound

Yes, but rhyming is the end sound, not the beginning. Scotty rhymes with Riley, but Scooter doesn't. Scooter rhymes with rooter & pooter, that's why I call you my Scooter, Rooter, Pooter.

Smiles & pause to think

Does Donald Duck rhyme with Donald Day?

No, those words all have D sounds but Duck and Day don't have the same end sound, so they don't rhyme.

(I should add here that Scooter KNOWS this already, but he purposely gives me things that don't rhyme to test me. He might be testing me on rhymes, or it could be he's making sure I am listening to him - not entirely sure.)

Does Donald Duck rhyme with Donald Fudge?

silence

Mom, does Donald Duck rhyme with Donald Fudge?

Ummm, well yes it does, but . . .

It does? Donald Duck rhymes with Donald Fudge?

Yes, well, it does rhyme, but that's not a word we use . . .

What word, Fudge?

Yes

Why don't we use Fudge? I like the word Fudge.

Well, it isn't really a nice word so we don't use it.

Why not?

Because it isn't nice.

Why isn't Fudge nice? What's wrong with Fudge?

Well, some people think it's a bad word and we try not to say it.

But, what does Fudge mean?

much stumbling around and gulping of coffee

Mom, what does Fudge mean?

(at the moment, I was thinking the situation was one HUGE cluster-fudge which prompted my answer)

Well, it kind of means to mess up really, really bad, but it's a really bad way to say it and most people don't like that word so we don't say it.

I can say Fudge! I made it up! It's my word. I can say Fudge if I want to say Fudge.

gulping a LOT more coffee

Mom, does coffee rhyme with boffee?

Big grins from the 5 year old as we moved out of a mine field and into safer territory.

Yes, it does.

Later that morning I took the boys to officially register Scooter for Kindergarten next year. I just kept praying he didn't decide to use the new word he 'made up' that morning. It was one of those times I was actually grateful that he is so shy and quiet. I was also pretty happy that Riley had missed the entire exchange and wouldn't repeat anything.

Mom laughed so hard when I told her this that I had a hard time telling the whole story and I am certain I heard her literally fall out of her chair. Scotty didn't think it was quite as funny. He wanted to know where he heard the word which led me to a long explanation of pre-reading skills and the game Scooter likes to play during the day.

It really is funny, as long as he doesn't use the word out in public anyway.

God Bless!