Say What?

It's funny and scary and embarrassing to hear my children use phrases I've said and they've heard from other sources. Now I've started shaking my fist in the air and saying, "Don't you use my own words back at me, young man/little lady!" Here are some recent examples.

Last Sunday we went ice skating with Lee's sister. Yordanos called to me from the side of the rink as I was going by. And, I, being a "rule follower" had to keep going around in the orderly counter-clockwise direction until I came around again. She had lost patience by that time and called, "You're just wasting my time!" Lee's sister looked at me with a cocked head and I grinned sheepishly, because I KNEW that came from me, except I usually say, "You're just wasting your own time." So, hey, her grasp of English is getting good enough to extrapolate what to say in ANY situation.

The kids were playing house soccer with a small nerfy sort of ball and I heard Yordanos say, "Whew! I need a breather!" I don't remember EVER saying that in my life, but since she's in soccer, etc... it's probably come up.

Whenever we see teenagers with baggy pants, smoking, pierced, or in any other way acting thuggy, the kids say, "They're just trying to be cool, right?"

The other night at dinner Habtamu asked if he could do something (I don't remember what) and I answered no, because (I don't remember why.) Great story so far, huh? Anyway, his ultimate response was, "Dammit!"

Now, I'm positive he didn't get this from me. Disclaimer, disclaimer, disclaimer.

So I said, "Well, the good news is that you used that word correctly. The bad news is that it's not a good word to say. We don't use that word."

And from the kitchen, Yordanos yells, "Habtamu, did you say 'damn'?! You're not supposed to say 'damn'!"

And we all busted up, laughing, because really, isn't that what makes families fun?