Language Lessons

The kids and I were out on the patio enjoying the summer weather one afternoon when I was inspired to do one of the "mommy"-est things I can think of—I presented a platter of watermelon wedges for us to snack on.

We quickly decimated the sizable stack, with little but a pile of rinds and that last lone wedge that no one ever eats left on the plate. My boy sat staring at it, remarking on the katydids gathering there, and suddenly said, "Here are two that are getting ready to mate."

Keeping my cool, as parenting magazines have instructed me to do in situations involving sexuality, I asked him, "Mate? What's that?"

He thought for a moment and then said, "It's like 'marry' in animal language."

That interpretation bodes well for his teenage years, I hope.