Monday, November 10, 2008

'ni hao' does mean hello

Driving Henry home from school I asked what he did today. He responds in his usual, everyday fashion "I don't remember". I have a hard time believing that somewhere between sit-down time (where they recall what they did for the day) and a mere 10 minutes later when he's sitting in his booster seat that all the day's activities are a fleeting memory but I digress.

I forge ahead with my everyday next question, "well, what did you have for snack?". I start to see a glimmer of remembrance, "strawberries" he replied.

He seemed to be turning the hamster wheel in his little head as he starts to volunteer more information from the day. "We are learning how to say 'hello' in other languages". (I'm thinking awesome, my $250 a month is going somewhere.) He continues "Hola is Spanish for hello". (Hallelujah song going on in my head.)

He questions me "how do you say hello in Chinese?" (Jackpot, lucky for me, I've been researching Kindergarten and Chinese Immersion, won't I look smart.) I confidently reply "ni hao".

He's responds "I don't believe you."

"Then why don't we call your Aunt and ask, she lived there for a year. I'm certain she would know."

Henry replies "Nah, I wanna ask Dad because he knows everything."

I just smile. Let's just see if your Dad/Mr-Knows-Everything can remember what time preschool ends tomorrow because I will be too busy brushing up on my Chinese to pick you up.

11 comments:

jen said...

silly mommy...don't you know daddies know everything???
except for how to completely function without the aid of a mommy???

hint?? i've noted that sometimes kiddos respond well to a "tell me 2 things that you did today." question. 'cause kids feel like everything was important! and it's hard to tell you everything! so if you give them a limit...sometimes they can actually give you an answer. just an idea...and i know you didn't ask for it...so you are totally allowed to ignore me and my really long comment.

Aracely said...

Zing! My sons do the same thing, but in our case mommy knows everything... or at least that glowing thing attached to mommy's lap does.

A Crafty Mom said...

LOL!!! I get the daddy knows it all line here too. And I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one who gets that line from school - "I don't know" or "I don't remember". Then days later out spews stuff he learned weeks earlier in school. Good luck with the Chinese ;-)!

Marla said...

the dad... why do they get all the credit for smarts :)

Rachel said...

On the up side, it's only a matter of time before he thinks that neither of you knows anything. :)

Unknown said...

Hehe! This really cracked me up, girl :)

amanda said...

haha :)

daddys do know everything huh??

Laural Out Loud said...

Gabi thinks I'm the one who knows everything! It makes me feel so bad for my husband when she says she doesn't believe him and then comes and asks me. Oh well.

Gabi also clams up in the car on the way home from preschool. Does the no communication thing really start this early?

RuensOnTheRun said...

My boys nver "remember" what they learned at school either, and my oldest is in 2nd! But, they think I know everything, when a lot of the time I go ask their father and return to them with an answer!

Vashey Fam said...

Funny! So, did he know the answer? Maybe now, Henry will say to daddy, "Nah, I wanna ask mom because she knows everything."

Rebecca said...

Oh my, I am so with you on this! EVERY DAY I ask Bel what she did at school, and she never remembers, and all I can think is, "We are spending all this money to send you to preschool, AND YOU DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID?!" I'm so glad to hear that it's just a preschool-age-thing to do.

Chinese immersion, huh? Keep us updated on that one.

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