Monday, August 16, 2010

You Don't Know Squat

I love to listen to my boys when they do not realize I'm listening. Earlier today we were riding in my truck when from the backseat I hear my 7yo say, "Cool look at that police car."


I'm driving in traffic so I do not have a chance to look, therefore I can't say for certain what made this cop car cooler than the average cruiser.

My 9yo does chimes in and says, "That must be for the swat team."

This is when the conversation got good.

Z, the 7yo says, "It's not called a swat team. It's a squat team."
"Uh-uh," said T, the 9yo. "It's SWAT team."
"You are so dumb," says Z. "Why would it be a swat team? They are after crooks and robbers. Not flies. You swat flies but you shoot bad guys. And before they shoot them they SQUAT down to aim better."
T says, "Oh squat team. Now I get it, but I sure thought they always said swat team."

I did correct them, but I must admit I did so begrudgingly. One, I appreciated my youngest's reasoning, even if it was flawed. And two, as a storyteller and fiction writer I admired his ability to spin the truth on its head and convince someone that his version was the correct version.

23 comments:

Old Kitty said...

Oh it is SO the Squat n Swat Team! LOL!!!

Awww how adorable - and it's so sweet that your older boy relented too! Bless their little hearts!

Take care
x

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Maybe Z's persuasiveness indicates that he'll grow up to be a lawyer.

Pearl said...

I think I actually prefer SQUAT team. :-) May have to use that one myself some day!

Pearl

Barrie said...

Squat Team? The sign of a brilliant child!

Monnik said...

I love squat team too, but the fact that he convinced his brother that it was, in fact, squat team instead of SWAT team is the best part of the story. :)

Anonymous said...

Travis' Wife:

Another reason I try not to leave you people at home.

Unknown said...

Love the reasoning of kids!

Junosmom said...

I very much have trouble divesting my children of certain misprounounced words - liking their version better. My son calls periodicals "mazagines",which sounds so much better than magazine. Love this story.

the walking man said...

Well not to be crude but you know I will be, when they come out they are ready to shit on someone. Maybe it should be SQUAT team. Anything but the A Team.

sybil law said...

Ha! yep - kids definitely know why they think words are whatever they are. I thought we had a "fumb" instead of thumbs - why wouldn't it be since we had Fingers?! And screen doors were scream doors - because the wind sounded like it was screaming when it blew through. Yep - I totally remember that stuff!

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm gonna start calling them the "Squat team" myself now.

Nadine said...

LOL - This was adorable!

Melissa Amateis said...

Hahaha...you have to use that in a novel somewhere. Priceless!

March2theSea said...

nice...i'll never think of a SWAT team the same way! hahaha

Deanna said...

This so cracked me up! Thanks for today's smile.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

I love the logic behind Squat team. I'd have a hard time correcting them too.

Little Messy Missy said...

Hahahahaha!!!!!

Cloudia said...

Budding story tellers!





Warm Aloha from Waikiki :)

Comfort Spiral

Hilary said...

That's just adorable. Some of the best conversations are out of the mouths of babes.

Anonymous said...

Cute story! When my daughter was little she thought pop-up campers were "pocket" campers. When you opened them up they would magically inflate so you could sleep in them. She also thought you had to be careful swimming in Lake Michigan because the under "toad" might get you. She's still a sweet spirited girl (possibility with a slight hearing impairment?) who hasn't totally outgrown her innocence and that's we love about her:)

Jerseygirl said...

I really love the fact that he convinced his older brother. My younger one has never been able to convince his older sister of anything! This post made me smile.

Lana Gramlich said...

ROFL! Precious...

Jennifer Archer said...

Damn you, Travis. You've kept me up laughing my a#$ off until 12:21 a.m. catching up on your blog. From now on, I'm calling it "the Squat Team."