One of the mistakes which all parent commit is to teach non-educational things to their kids, particularly the slangs n stuff. Its like a boomerang and comes back n hits u very soon!! So here is my tale... The Tale of "Duh!"
For reasons only known to nobody, I thought I will teach the 2-half year old in my house on the "nuances" of Duh! (Actually I myself was kinda intrigued by this word after I first heard it and have been attempting to use this at every potential place!!) Anyway with all my teaching skills honed up, I told her that when mommy asks here "Baby, did u finish your pudding?" you should say "Duh!" and I explained to her that she infact has finished the pudding which mommy didnt see.... So far so good....
An hour passed and she was next to me cuddled in the couch watching TV and suddenly got up and went to her mommy in kitchen... In her own phonetics, it seems she asked mommy to ask her if she finished dinner. Mommy was curious.. but to keep the lil one's enthusiasm, she asked. Well I saw mommy calling me with hands on her hip and a growling look at me "You taught her that" and the lil one was laughing hysterically. Well apparently she said "Duh!" with such american perfection. And she was saying that everytime mommy turned towards her and laughing hysterically....
Well my dinner and next day's breakfast was at threat so without wating time, I packaged the 3-footer in my arms and shifted her to the living room. We were laughing in whispers, saying "Duh!" to each other and both of us almost in tummy pain!!. DAYEM!! We got find out... Man! Women have sharp ears dont they?
Well time to be a stern dad, I told the lil girl "You shouldnt say Duh, often but only when u actually mean it (or something like that).." she said, "Duh!"... This fun-time took almost an hour to subside with mommy ending up red-faced and my dinner hanging in a single weak thread!! So i turned the attention to Mickey Mouse and it was forgotten then....Next day evening, I thought well she has forgotten the word. As usual I asked her when I reached home, "So did my lil baby girl go to play-school today?"
She said..... "Duh!"
Now it was my wife's turn to peal into laughter and with a sheepish grin I joined too...
Amazing fact is how sharp these young minds are and how quick they can grasp the usage, purpose and phonetics of a word. Especially when its funny. And these days my daughter has picked up a third language from school, apart from English and the one we speak at home. And its not just words but ACTUAL sentences with grammar and she responds to questions in that language!!! I think we are far outsmarted by these youngsters and as I always say, she's gonna tell me one day, "Dad, really, what did they teach u at school? Did u go to school regularly?"
Now, Here is a fair warning to all of those who could meet my 2yr old daughter, Whatever u ask, please dont ask any "obvious" questions otherwise be ready to hear the "Duh!"
