D-A-N-G

As with all young children, for a very long time we parents rely on the old "spell the word out" trick for talking about things in front of them that we don't want them to know.

Well, our time seems just about up.

Hubba-hubba was trying to tell me about an upcoming event in which Santa would be making an appearance. As Mr. P is very much into Christmas this year, we knew that any mention of Santa would bring a long soliliquoy about how Santa is magic and how he makes the toys and how he has a list and on and on and on.

And at that moment, we just didn't feel like hearing it. Don't judge people, don't judge.

So, Hubba-hubba spelled out "S-A-N-T-A."

"Hey, what did you just say?" said the five year old.

"Nothing" lied replied his father.

"I know what you said, Daddy! You said Santa!"

Anybody know a place that sells semaphore flags?

Comments

Family Adventure said…
Pretty darn clever for a 5 yr old!

My parents started out by spelling in Norwegian when they didn't want us kids to understand something. As soon as we were able to spell, they began using English words as their "secret code". Eventually we got that, too, and that's when they tried spelling in English. They gave up after we started correcting their spelling.

Heidi
11:41 PM
Megs said…
I don't have kids yet, but we do this for our dogs.

Is it time for them to go O-U-T?

Did you give them C-H-E-E-S-E?

:)
2:50 AM
Anonymous said…
We have switched to spelling it backwards or leaving vowels out. it works for a little while :)
3:56 AM
dgm said…
Phase Two: pig latin.
5:36 AM
Ted said…
You're doomed! I'm not sure there's any kind of code you can use this time of year that will deflect talk about Santa. :-)
6:22 AM
J said…
Off the Santa topic, but Mr. P thinking Santa makes the toys himself reminded me of how Maya used to want to travel to China. All of her toys seemed to be made there, so she assumed it was one big world of toys! :)

Perhaps you could start referring to Santa as KK? Short for Kris Kringle? Or St. Nick?
6:44 AM
Steph said…
Yep, you're totally doomed. We can't spell anything around here anymore, and it's not easy! We try giving clues, but half the time can't even figure out what the other is saying.
7:04 AM
Awesome Mom said…
Maybe you could use sign language lol
8:37 AM
Anvilcloud said…
I recommend pillow talk. He'd probably learned sempaphore before you. :)
8:42 AM
... Paige said…
would you believe we can still spell in front of our teenagers?

YES we can for a few reasons:

1. they don't listen to us anyway

2. they can't spell unless it's phonic-spelling and not "real" spelling

3. they don't listen to us(I know I already said this, but it was worth repeating)

It's a happy thought that your child can spell a real word the real way.
8:46 AM
Mrs. G. said…
Oh Gina, sempaphore flags? You crack me up! I think you and hubba better learn sign language or morse code...your spelling days are over. Smart kid.
9:06 AM
Bammy said…
I'm on board with the pig latin..lol
11:26 AM
captain corky said…
I've said it before and will say it again: This kid needs his own sitcom!!!
12:12 PM
Anonymous said…
...or there's always American Sign Language, but since it's been proven "learnable" by gorillas...it's only a matter of time before a little boy could figure out what you were saying.
12:38 PM
ML said…
Ha! Mr. P caught on to the spelling ploy :)
1:09 PM
Heidi said…
They seem to have superhuman hearing also!
1:46 PM
Suzanne said…
Yep, we are done with the spelling phase, too!
3:12 PM
Nance said…
Forget the semaphore flags; if you have to buy special equipment, it just means more storage space issues.
3:36 PM
maddie said…
i think you're doomed if what you are trying to say has ANYTHING to do with santa. kids have a way of figuring anything that is gift related.

but i do like pig latin as the alternative... :)
3:48 PM
Liz said…
Too funny!
5:50 PM
chichimama said…
Welcome to my world. We now talk about man-made bodies of H2O (the pool) triangular shaped pieces of yeast and curdled milk (pizza), and a rather large person who likes animals (Santa).
6:19 PM
Anonymous said…
Nah, you just need to get more creative.

Cheese = solidified cow lactation
Fish and Chips = swimming potatoes.

I asked my husband to extinguish the incandescent appliances when Y chromosome was in REM.

Our son doesn't like it when we turn off the lights so we need to wait till he is asleep.

See? Easy. And keeps the ol' brain cells working.
6:20 PM
dr sardonicus said…
You may be surprised at what else he knows how to spell...
6:32 PM
Laura said…
Well...we have quite a few stores here that sell marine signal flags...but that could get pricey to buy all 26... When my daughter was almost 3, my husband (then boyfriend) said to me,"should we go get some i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m?" My daughter piped up,"I'll have some too!!"
9:02 PM
Quiskaeya said…
You got one smart lil guy on your hands! Our kids are getting smarter younger and younger. I think that is why I need to learn chinese or some super hard language to trick my Lil Man.
7:34 AM
Jess T said…
Ipes! :) That stinks. Syd at two somehow knows that P-O-T-T-Y is potty. She actually runs around singing the letters.

We also do it for our puppy too. :) She still has no clue.
8:12 AM
Patois42 said…
Tell him you were talking about Satan, and he's just confused.

All hope is lost now, you know.
4:53 PM
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