A few days ago, while making my coffee, I hear Stella saying: "That's not toast!" I usually do not take these comments too seriously. My reply is pretty generic (to all her "That's NOT... comments"): "Of course, Stella, it's not toast." Most mornings that is exactly what she needs to hear. However, this morning it throws her nearly into a tantrum. After a few minutes she repeats: "That's not toast, mommy!" Even though I still have no clue what she's talking about, I repeat: "Yes, Stella, it's not toast. It's porridge." She bursts into another bout of complete frustration. And keeps repeating the same thing: "That's not toast, mommy!" This time I glance over and see her pointing at the computer. I still don't get it. "No, love, that's not toast. It's a computer." Same reaction... only this time she flings herself onto the floor and starts screaming something completely incomprehensible about toast. I'm beginning to loose my patience. Seriously... How many times can I take this in one morning? She's probably feeling the same way, unfortunately. So, I take a deep breath and plug along with breakfast. After a while Kaspar wonders down the stairs and he solves the mystery. Right there on the computer screen is a picture of our recently busted up Volvo. It turns out that all along she has been pointing at the small picture of the Volvo on the computer and telling me: "That's not toast, mommy!" Did I ever feel stupid!!! If only I had taken the time to pay closer attention from the first moment on, I would have caught on. It was funny and tragic all at once. It made me feel really bad for being the busy body mother that hardly pays attention to my kid. Yet, on the other hand, it was a mystery only my four year old could have solved so immediately. The only thing that was harder then trying to understand the comment was trying to explain in what instance one would call a "car" - "toast".
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
toast
A few days ago, while making my coffee, I hear Stella saying: "That's not toast!" I usually do not take these comments too seriously. My reply is pretty generic (to all her "That's NOT... comments"): "Of course, Stella, it's not toast." Most mornings that is exactly what she needs to hear. However, this morning it throws her nearly into a tantrum. After a few minutes she repeats: "That's not toast, mommy!" Even though I still have no clue what she's talking about, I repeat: "Yes, Stella, it's not toast. It's porridge." She bursts into another bout of complete frustration. And keeps repeating the same thing: "That's not toast, mommy!" This time I glance over and see her pointing at the computer. I still don't get it. "No, love, that's not toast. It's a computer." Same reaction... only this time she flings herself onto the floor and starts screaming something completely incomprehensible about toast. I'm beginning to loose my patience. Seriously... How many times can I take this in one morning? She's probably feeling the same way, unfortunately. So, I take a deep breath and plug along with breakfast. After a while Kaspar wonders down the stairs and he solves the mystery. Right there on the computer screen is a picture of our recently busted up Volvo. It turns out that all along she has been pointing at the small picture of the Volvo on the computer and telling me: "That's not toast, mommy!" Did I ever feel stupid!!! If only I had taken the time to pay closer attention from the first moment on, I would have caught on. It was funny and tragic all at once. It made me feel really bad for being the busy body mother that hardly pays attention to my kid. Yet, on the other hand, it was a mystery only my four year old could have solved so immediately. The only thing that was harder then trying to understand the comment was trying to explain in what instance one would call a "car" - "toast".
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4 comments:
Actually, sometimes you can say "a car is toast". Let's say the car is heading down the highway on the wrong side of the road against oncoming traffic. You could say: "that car is toast".
It's usually a prediction. You could say: "That guy is toast" or "that business is toast". [my husband's suggestion: yesterday you could have said: "General McChrystal is toast".]
L
I'm aware of that, yes. Stella's comment was, of course, a reaction to having heard my comment that "our car IS toast!" :-)
Now I REALLY understand Stella's problem. The NOT world which she currently inhabits must have been really thrown for a loop by your statement that "Our car is toast". One day she will understand something called metaphor.
L
Drats, why do cars always die after you've spent a bundle on them? Can't they just peacefully rust away? I think Stella will be part of the NOT generation.......
Grandpa
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