Definitive Moments

For those of you that are moms or dads, and your kids are old enough to ask you questions, you will understand this blog perfectly. At least I hope you do because otherwise, it means that Rob and I really stink when it comes to defining words. With two kids proficiently reading, we get asked to do this daily. What surprises me, is that I get absolutely flummoxed with the difficulty of defining words that I have known or been familiar with most of my life.

Yesterday in fact, was a big day for having to explain words. Alton and Alayna have both been carrying around big chapter books wherever they go and reading every spare minute, so of course, I was getting asked all manner of questions. There were several words that frustrated me. Part of this is because I have come to the realization that I am unable to explain a word using intelligent words like a dictionary, but have noticed myself resorting to bizarre hand motions and strange sound effects. Take the word maneuver for instance. Alton asked me what that meant. Before I tell you how I explained it, try to think what you would tell your kid and see if that word wasn't a challenge. I started with "You know..." and then found myself using my hands like a fish swimming through water while making some strange pshew sound. Alton's blank stare told me I had to do better. I finally came up with, "To work your way around or through something." Not bad, but I still had to move my neck like an Egyptian to get those words out. What about the word clunky? How in the world do you explain that while in the car without using your hands like horse hooves and uttering a strange gutteral sound with the letter "C" in it.

Funnier still, is when both Rob and I are involved together in defining a word. I have noticed that my soul mate has completely different ideas about what certain words mean. When Alton asked what a ravine was, I immediately used my hand to swoop downwards and said, "You know, like a little canyon." Rob chimed in at the same time and said, "A little stream." A small argument ensued between us after this one. We never did think to get out the dictionary and clarify it to poor Alton. I remember verbatim, some of the definitions my Mom gave to me growing up (can't think of any specific right now), but Alton's memories will be well...confused.

Later on in the day, Alayna asked me to define awkward. I was tired and just said, "clumsy." Of course then she asked what clumsy meant. I said, "You know, you trip over things and fall down and break things a lot." The end of this day ended with me overhearing Alayna ask Rob what the horizon was. A sleepy Rob mumbled, "the sky." Hmmm...ordinarily I would added my own idea to that one, but it had been a long day and I decided someday Alayna would find out what a horizon really was.