From the mouth of babes...

This was the first morning I had to take all four kids to school. We loaded up about 10 til 7 and headed out the door. First stop, middle school to drop off Middle Girl. Done. Next stop, high school to drop off Oldest. Exchange perfunctory kiss 'n' goodbye, she grabs her backpack, clarinet case, purse, water jug (for band) and sullenly rolls out of the passenger seat. Onto the sidewalk and before I can start to remind her, "Don't slam the do--" SLAMMM! ::sigh::

I have tried and tried to get all of them to understand that we don't have to slam the car doors like we're driving in the late, lamented Franklin. Every vehicle we have has the sturdy *thunk* of a well-matched lock and strike meeting in a precisely engineered fashion. Just touch them, really, and they close home with a nice quiet unslammy sound.

But I suppose old habits die hard. Or some people just have very hard heads.

I slumped a bit in the driver's seat, sighed heavily, and started driving on back around to the exit. Catherine quietly spoke up from the backseat, "Daddy, I don't like it when Ashley slams the door."

"Hey, me neither, Cat, but you know what? I have talked to y'all and talked to y'all forever trying to remind everyone NOT to slam the doors, and quite frankly, m'dear, I don't know what else I can do to get people to understand me."

She paused for a second, and in her most wicked little voice said, "Maybe she has...ISSUES!"

Perfect timing, perfect delivery. Had to laugh for a minute or two over that one.

"I'm real funny, aren't I, Daddy!?"

A regular laugh riot, Alice.
posted by Terry at 8:32:00 AM