William loves to learn.  He’s curious about 2 things right now . . . well, more than 2 things, but the combination of these particular things could create quite the scenario.

1.  Rhyming
2.  Words that start with “ch”, “sh”, and “tr”
And so it was inevitable yesterday at lunch when he started rhyming words and then tried to add the “sh” sound to his string of words.
“sit, bit, lit, sh**”
The first time I chose to say absolutely nothing.  I knew he had no clue, had probably never heard the word and figured it would disappear.  But, then at dinner that night, the same string of rhymes came out of his mouth.  That’s when it gets hard.  There’s a certain appeal to any four year old boy when he knows that there’s a word he is forbidden to say.  Peter and I did our best to explain to him, in a hopefully boring way, why we didn’t want him saying that word.  We asked him if he had ever heard us say that word, had ever heard his grandparents or anyone else say that word.  He said “no” and we thought our explanation had been sufficient and satisfying.
His response?  “So I shouldn’t say “sh**?  It’s bad to say sh** and I shouldn’t ever say sh** and if I ever hear anyone say sh** I should tell them not to say sh**?  I’m sorry I said sh**.”
It took a great deal of resolve not to burst out in laughter, but somehow we did it.  Oh the innocence of a small boy who, all too soon, will not be innocent any longer.  And now I’m just praying that his knowledge of this word won’t reappear in Sunday School!