# Conversations with kids - a thoughtful, giggle-induced (and highly parenthetical) MMP

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Tags:** mmp\
**Created:** [August 10, 2009, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913 "2009-08-10T10:19:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/21 "2009-08-10T17:05:34Z")

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The Foomobile is done. $765 for new struts, CV axles, front brakes, and assorted alignments and adjustments. Hell, that’s about half of what I paid for the damned thing when I got it.

At least it didn’t need a new tie rod, which would have been another $150. :rolleyes: :mad:

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/22 "2009-08-10T17:07:41Z")

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> [@Dottygumdrop](#):
>
> …HRH was at MIL’s house last week, when she decided to pull up her shirt, grab her nipple and shout at MIL, “I got milk!”

The Nephew breastfeeds his Nenuco doll 😃 SiLMom once told him “but you don’t have milk!” and he gave her a huge rolleyes and said “well, it ain’t a baby either!”

Hi, **lunar elf** , welcome!

**Muppet** , should I bring my 41-yo self to the retirement home already? But I don’t wanna! It’s full of old people!

Which by the way is my mother’s reasoning for not wanting to join any of the 3rd-age social clubs in the area. This is a woman who used to swear she’d move into the retirement home at 65, is now 69, and telling to everybody who listens that she’ll move there at 75… her sister says she’ll believe it when she not only sees it with her own eyes but gets it notarized in triplicate, and I agree.

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**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/23 "2009-08-10T17:10:26Z")

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Good morning everyone.

**Swampy,** I’m very sorry about the loss of your friend. Hugs to you.

I’m not around little kids anymore either. Mine are a young adult and a teenager, so they’re waaaaaay past saying cute stuff.

Sigh, I’m on my last week of vacation. Last week just flew by.

I was interrupted by a phone call just now. My mother called, so I had to talk to her.

I don’t have anything real big going on this week. I’m just hanging out here and running the kids where they need to be.

I guess I should hop in the shower and clean up now.

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**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/24 "2009-08-10T17:29:45Z")

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**Nava** , forget the old age home… better start digging your grave, because you’re an ancient fossil not long for this world. 🙂

KooKoo died at 40, BTW. But then she felt better, so she came back to life and stuck around for an hour or so, by which point she’d aged to 98 and was “really really dead now”.

**lunarelf** , I have to agree. Hungry usually feels like cake… except for the odd time when it feels more like chocolate. (and the occasional confused day when it feels like chocolate cake instead) 😃

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**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/25 "2009-08-10T17:52:52Z")

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> [@Nava](#):
>
> **Muppet** , should I bring my 41-yo self to the retirement home already? But I don’t wanna! It’s full of old people!

I always figure I should use the average between my chronological age and my mental one as my “real” age. Since my chronological age is 45, that makes me about… (counts on fingers and toes)… oh, say 25…? 🙂

> [@Lissla\_Lissar](#):
>
> Nat’s learned to say, “No”. Does that count as conversation? 😃

The second year of one’s life is known in Hebrew as “The Year of the _ **No!!!** _” (_sh’nat ha- **lo!!!** _). And it’s as close to conversation as you’ll get for a while yet. But it gets (much) better after a while!

> [@Tupug\_Anachi](#):
>
> **noonie** , Oh, boy, do I remember the surly teen boy stage. 😛

Operative word here being “boy.” Special Teen (who is a young female of the species) has never been that bad (knock on wood though, as she still has 3 years left to make me eat my words!)

Oh, and I forgot my very best “From the mouth of babes” story. A kid who had a baby brother born when he was three. On the first day it got to be nice enough outside to take little brother out of doors for a walk, parents ask the kid “So, where do you think we’re taking him?” And the kid, looking up all hopeful and expecting at the parents, says “we’re returning him to the hospital?”

Can’t completely vouch for this story, since I only ever heard it from my parents about how I welcomed my younger brother into the world… 😃

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**Author:** ![Alastair\_Moonsong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@Alastair\_Moonsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alastair_Moonsong)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/26 "2009-08-10T18:14:31Z")

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According to my Weather Channel Desktop plugin, it is currently 96 Degrees w/ 48% Humidity and feels like 106. I haven’t been outside; I think imma try to keep it that way.

Not much to contribute at the moment as I don’t really interact with small children.

Actually, wait! There is one recent story I can share! My dad and I were leaving the house the other day to go to the grocery store and a couple of the neighbors were out, along with three little 2-4 year olds in matching orange shirts. One of them, as dad and I are walking past, says to dad “I’m Darth Vader!”

Dad smiles politely and says “Oh, I don’t think so… Darth Vader wore black!”

The kid’s response? “I’m Darth Vader’s Black!”

😃

- **Moonie**

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**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/27 "2009-08-10T18:16:04Z")

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**Muppet** , we spent almost an hour watching that storm, too. It was amazing. The sky went purple and teal and silver.

I’m aware that Nat’s practicing for being two. Not reassuring. 😉

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**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/28 "2009-08-10T18:50:56Z")

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Thanks for all the good thoughts and hugs y’all! Mumpers be the bestest evah! 😃

I guess I can share, once again cause I know I’ve told this before, the story of how I “welcomed” home my new baby sis and bro, the twins. I do not remember this as I was all of about nineteen months old, but as mom and dad told it…

It was March 1956. Sis and bro were born on March 1st, so this is several days later in north Jawja where it would still be cold, so a crib for them had been set up in the kitchen of the old house I had grown up in. This was a house, before my ‘rents got all uppity and had central heat and ac installed, that had a gas furnace and when it was cold, the warmest place in the house was the big ol’ wonderful kitchen. Anywho, as I have been told, my grandmother had just fed me. Ok, remember, I’m nineteen months old. Mom and dad come in and bro and sis are placed in the crib. Remember, full as a tick nineteen month old. Dad picks me up and leans me over the crib to see my new sis and bro. He lifts me back up and I puked (according to them, of course, we all know that I would _never_ do such a thing! 😃 ) all over dad. HEE!

Anywho, since learnin’ that story it has become a running joke amongst us. Well, sis and me now, cause if y’all remember, little bro died seven and a half years ago. At any occasion when we should be behavin’ ourselves but don’t really want to, I can put my hand over my mouth and make an oh so slight _gag_ sound while lookin’ at sis and we get the giggles. 😃 Always worked like a charm with lil’ bro too, may he RIP.

Ok, that’s my one and only house monkey story to contribute this week. Enjoy.

Oh, bug man has come and gone. Da cave enjoys another bug free month.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/29 "2009-08-10T19:09:22Z")

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No monkeys and no deaths in our collective circles lately, although one of our Faire folk is in end-stage respiratory failure. Everyone’s actually surprised that he’s still alive. Another is in Stage-something-bad cancer and also not expected to last a whole lot longer. You would not guess it to look at her though.

Our grand sell-off continues. We sold a bed frame, mattress set, two dressers and a garden shed this weekend. Some young guy with more time than dollars disassembled the shed, piece by piece and hauled it off. Hope he’s got a photographic memory to put all those pieces back together!

This shed could well have been made by Ikea - it came in a box about five feet long, two feet wide and six inches thick. Theoretically, someone could have shown up with some strong friends to pick up the shed and its foundation in one piece and carry it out over the fence, but this guy was alone. At first, he thought I was kidding when I said it was held together with about a billion screws. By the end of the day, he realized that I’d overestimated by about two dozen screws.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/30 "2009-08-10T19:13:46Z")

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The cave is bug-free? Cool. Wish I could say the same for ours. Seems like Invisible Tenant took all of his stuff except for the ants. Really weird - we didn’t have ants in the kitchen or anywhere else in the house until the very day he left, then we were swarmed with ants.

Ick, ick ick!

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**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/31 "2009-08-10T19:17:30Z")

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Break time. Gobbling down some blueberry-peach upside down cake that I made last night. It’s gooooooood. (It shall be blogged in a day or two, once I get around to processing the photos)

I just realised that the [Underworld](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlLWFa1b1Bc) concert is tomorrow! Goodness me, does time fly or what?

I’m still trying to figure out what I can wear that’s suitable for work, but comfortable enough to dance in for a few hours and that won’t make me look like an eejit who went out in her work clothes. (I’m half tempted to pull out the old stuffed animal backpack and wide-leg overalls for nostalgia’s sake, but it was silly-looking enough when I was an 18 yr old raver brat… not so suitable for my grown-ass self)

**LiLi** , it’s unacceptable that Gnat insists on growing up. He’s supposed to stay small and cute and adorable… mostly so I can convince myself that I’m not growing any older either.

**Moonie** , I’ll see your 48% humidity and raise you 66% with a severe thunderstorm watch. It’s GROSS.

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**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/32 "2009-08-10T19:25:59Z")

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> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#):
>
> **Moonie** , I’ll see your 48% humidity and raise you 66% with a severe thunderstorm watch. It’s GROSS.

Um… 65% relative, day in and day out, with _no_ rain of any kind to clear the air for even a few hours.

With ~30C temps on most days and higher on some.

For about three months.

Tel Aviv is _not_ fun in the summer without A/C. Luckily, this being a first-wolrd country, everything, and I mean really just about **everything** except for the great wide outdoors themselves, _is_ A/C-ed.

The weather through the rest of the year makes up for this, though 🙂

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**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/33 "2009-08-10T19:48:48Z")

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**gotti** reckon Invisible Tenant is King of The Ants? :eek:

So, dindin tonight shall be smoked roast beast (sampled to ensure goodness, and it is! 😃 ), garlic smashed **N.O.T.** , steamed spareguts, rolls and, just cause I’m nice dammit, a peach cobbler. Shortly I shall begin the **N.O.T.** , spareguts and cobbler. The rolls, too, but they won’t take long cause they are the thaw and bake kind.

I probably won’t see y’all again tonight cause tomorrow is an early day and, whether he knows it or not, ol’ y’all know who shall “appreciate” this dindin. 😉

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**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/34 "2009-08-10T20:56:12Z")

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I got home regular time today - yay! Tomorrow and the next day could be late - I’ll find out in the morning. But for today, I can unwind.

Daughter is making supper - shrimp alfredo and garlic bread and broccoli. And she baked a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Nom nom nom

I’ve told this story before, but it’s been a while so it’ll be new again! 😃

It was late in 1989, either shortly before my daughter’s birthday or before Christmas, and we had a wrapped gift sitting on the shelf in the top of our closet. She saw it, and asked about it, and we said it was a surprise. Then she asked “Is it for someone little and 4?”

Story told by my sister about when her daughter was about 3 or 4. Sis was driving and niece was in her car seat in the back, trying to get her sunglasses to sit on the top of her head, without much luck. Finally, in disgust, she snatched off the glasses, threw them down, and yelled “Fuck it!” She’s her mother’s daughter.

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**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/35 "2009-08-10T22:36:24Z")

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Hey folks! Making smoked salmon on teh grill, green salad with avocado and quinoa/orzo side dish.

Yummy.

On my own for a few days. starting tomorrow. Hubby is presenting at Mayo clinic- shouldn’t be too hot there!

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**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/36 "2009-08-10T22:51:21Z")

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My kid done good - supper was yum! Well, except for the cake - we haven’t had cake yet. But the shrimp alfredo stuff was very good. And she did the dishes! I could get used to this…

Temps have dropped to 86, but it’s still real humid. I hate summer - have I ever mentioned that? C’mon autumn - or at least autumn temps.

Yawning… I’s tahred - I’m thinking I’ll be going to bed early.

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**Author:** ![Blisters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Blisters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blisters)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/37 "2009-08-10T22:54:55Z")

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my three year old (known as The Boy) just told me “Mama, you’re my whole world”

I melted…

not conversation, but still nice

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**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/38 "2009-08-10T23:51:26Z")

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I’ve been alternating between feeling icky and starving all day. And sometimes both at once. :dubious:

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**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/39 "2009-08-11T00:05:35Z")

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Hey y’all! I survived my first day back. It feels worse here than in Vegas. [Here](http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e260/dogbutler/NHLBCC09/) is my phone’s photos from Vegas. Keep checking back, I have to up load about 150. If you are my Facebook friend, I’m tagged in even more.

{{{{Pie}}}}

Hey, **Blisters**!

**swampy** , Not only did I not spend the kid’s inheritance, I won enough to cover my (large) food and drink bill. One bad thing happened when I went to In and Out burger(spoilered to protect **swampy** ):Bless their hearts, they don’t know you’re supposed to sweeten iced tea :eek:

**lunar elf** , your kid is right.

**Spaz** , loved it!

**Flutters** , welcome back! I could use a vacation after my vacation too.

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**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conversations-with-kids-a-thoughtful-giggle-induced-and-highly-parenthetical-mmp/505913/40 "2009-08-11T00:33:13Z")

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Once we were talking about prefixes and suffixes in the car when my kids were about 6 and 9. Among other examples we were making all the words using “hydrated” we could (dehydrate, rehydrate, hydrant etc). My six year old daughter says: “What are you just before you take a drink of water? PREhydrated!!”.

Se was quite proud of herself.

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