My youngest daughter is almost five, and starting about two weeks ago, she started to take interest in the actual mechanics of posting on the SDMB. Now, when she sees me posting, she comes over, and asks me: “Are you gonna use a smilie? Which smilie are you gonna use? No, don’t use that one; I like this one better, use this one. Okay, now can you use that other one?”
I’ve tried explaining to her that smilies need to convey something appropriate to the message; there are two problems with that: One, she doesn’t know what “convey” means; two, in the egocentric way of all small children, she thinks the smilies are there simply to amuse her.
Well, I did; see, she’s young enough that a little “sleight of hand” works. If she wants to pick my smilies, I’ll see if there are two that are appropriate, and then let her decide which of the two I should use. For instance, and are often good at the same time, as are :rolleyes: and :dubious: . So it’s really just a matter of re-direction. When she’s old enough that that doesn’t work anymore, I’ll probably let her start formatting her own posts (and then not posting them, of course).
Well, either you know me somehow, or you’ve run across a linked photo of her that’s floating around in one thread or another; there are several. She is a cutie.
My 3 year old likes to help me too. She calls them balls instead of smilies and likes the green ones best. She enjoys pointing out which feelings the balls express… happy, sad, silly…
We could say that, but now that I think about it, I believe I detect a hint of a southern accent in your posts. . .
Kytheria, I’ve been an unfit mother for a long time. . .just ask my 17-year-old
tanookie, that’s adorable! I can certainly see why she’d call them “balls”; the only reason my little 'un knows they’re “smilies” is because she asked.
:dubious: :rolleyes: 
:wally :smack: 
;j 
:eek: