We all know that children can turn the English language upside down, and some families could have their own dictionaries.  Just as many occupations have their own jargon, so do many households with children. 

While Girl 1 was just plain Girl, she used to call bisquits, spickets.  That is what we call those flakey bundles of dough to this day.  I do remember the day that she came into the kitchen and I told her that we were having spickets for dinner.  She told me with all the air of a world traveler, "They are bisquits!"  I nearly cried as I stood there observing this small ball of fire.  She was growing up! 

Girl 2 was a real crack up.  I don't ever recall her mixing up words, she just had a strange way of putting things.  Once while sitting in the bathroom watching Dear Man shave his beard for work, she asked, "Daddy, why are you mowing your face?" 

Boy 1 has contributed quite a few words to our family lingo.  I have begun to think that maybe he needs a hearing test.  He would call Camaro's, Maraco's and shoulders, soldiers. 

One day after we had been to speech club, Boy 1 piped up from his seat in the car, "I want to go to Pie Crust."  No one in the vehicle could figure out what he was talking about. 

"You know, that girl was talking about how she went to Pie Crust." 

It took quite awhile before it finally dawned on me, a girl had told us she had gone camping at a place called "Pine Crest."  
 

Boy 2 has some speech disablities and has added to our dictionary frequently.  He never stops thinking about food and because of this he tells me 50 times a day, "I'm huntee."  I of course reply, "Hi, Huntee!  You can call me Mommy."  Today Boy 1 was telling us some facts he had learned about Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Boy 2, with food on his mind as usual said, "I wanna go to Santa Buffet!" 

The joke stage is always a dangerous time.  You never know when your youngster will come up with his own made up joke.  Girl 1 was about 6 when she decided to try variations on this joke:  Where does a cow go on a Saturday night?  To the moooovies.

She tried several animal and entertainment combinations.  Where does a pig go on a Tuesday night?  To the Oink, Oink alley. 

I had to put a stop to to these jokes one day when she finally came up with this combination; Where does a horse go on a Monday night?  To the Hor Hor house. 

Once again I was driving, all alarming child statements are made while I am driving.  As I had been trying to encourage her other attempts with punch lines, I had laughed.  This joke however nearly made me choke!  I didn't know whether or not to laugh or wash her mouth out with soap.  From the look on her face though I could tell that she was truly innocent.  It wasn't something she had heard, to her it was just another attempt at humour.  I decided to give a small laugh and told her that it was time to move on to a new joke, I didn't want to hear this joke anymore! 

I encourage all of you to write down all the funny things your children say! It is so very true that you will forget them with time.  I wish I had written down every funny thing my children have said.  Start your own family dictionary, log down the new word or phrase, who said it, and the story behind it.  Someday when you are old and need something to help cheer yourself up, you will be so glad you kept the dictionary.  It will remind you of so much more than just the entry itself.