I Have a Special Purpose!

*Longtime readers, you better know the movie.

As a mother of six and preschool teacher of many, I consider myself bilingual.  I have very little trouble understanding the words youngsters are saying.  I can always figure out the words. 

The special purpose comes when I have to figure out the meaning of a string of identifiable words which make no sense to the untrained ear.  I frequently get the look from other adults when they are talking with little kids that says, "Help me out here!  What is this child trying to tell me???"  There is always a meaning.  I just need to get in the child's brain and figure it out.

For example, I completely understood the words when Cuckoo said, "I made two snots!"  However, it wasn't until I saw him messing with his shoelaces that I realized he was "tying" his shoes and made two knots.

Here's a more difficult one.

Out of the blue, Cuckoo asked, "Can we go to the Barbie store?"

Me: The Barbie store?

Him:  Yes.  It's by where we were the other day.

Me:  We've been lots of places.  What did we do there the other day?

Him:  It's the Barbie store!

Clearly, that was too difficult a question.  However, Turken  knew what he was talking about and tried to help.

Turken:  Oh!  It's the store with a cage on the front!

Me:  A Barbie store with a cage on the front?

Cuckoo:  Yes!  At the Barbie store!

Turken:  Yes!  And the cage is on fire.

Me:  A Barbie store with a cage on the front which happens to be on fire?

Turken:  Yes.

Me:  And where is this store?

Turken:  Across from where we went to eat.

AHA!  The missing piece of the puzzle.

Cuckoo wanted to go to the BARBEQUE place, which happened to have a picture of a rack of ribs, on fire, above the door.

I am the master.

Last one.

Driving in the van, Cuckoo asked, "How do people get into your belly?"

Of course, my first thought, with all of the babies being born recently, was, "Do we really have to have a conversation about how women get pregnant now?  With a three year old?"

Fortunately, this is not my first rodeo, so I asked a question.

Me:   People get into my belly?

Him:  Yes.  People get into your belly.

The way he was saying it, I knew he wasn't talking about babies.  He meant full-grown people getting into my belly.  MY belly being very important.

I then paid more attention to our surroundings, specifically the song on the radio. 

See if you can figure it out.

Listen here.

Catch it?

Edna the Elephant wanted to dance in the "New York ballet."  York ballet = your belly.

Just call me The Preschool Whisperer.

* It's "The Jerk!"  If you haven't seen the movie, you really should.  My posts will make a whole lot more sense to you, thus be funnier, if you do.    

Have a lovely day!