But What is IN the Water?

I have a confession. I HATE toys that make noise. That is what my children are for. Why on earth would I want to add to the daily cacophony? I like to blame it on the fact that I am a SAHM and I would hear the noisy toys 24/7 and thus soon end up in a padded room, but I think that if I worked outside the home I would hate them just as badly.

So, we do not have the LeapFrog talking alphabet thing-y that every other child of this generation seems to have. You know, the one ensures that most 14 month olds now can say all their letters in an odd electronic voice.

But I did want some way to teach my children their alphabet without workbooks or flashcards, not that I am opposed to those, I'm just lazy and flashcards and workbooks seem like waaaay too much work.

Enter my amazing MIL. She gave Spud this game. Best $3.95 she ever spent. Yes, I know it is way cheaper on their website, but we are Canadian and even though our dollar is now at par we are still gouged on a regular basis. (End rant)

Both of the boys have learned their alphabets this way and we have spent hours and hours and hours playing together and trash talking. ( I teach my boys to trash-talk, it adds to the fun for me.) Just a note, on the website it says for ages 4+, both of my boys have been playing it long before then. Not well mind you, it takes a great deal of self control not to wipe them off of the board, but I do manage to keep the games somewhat even. It saves on the tears that way.

To me this is way better than listening to some electronic nuisance and tripping over small bodies while trying to make dinner. Plus then I wouldn't have conversations like this.

HG: Sprout, do you have a duck?

Sprout: Nope. Go fish. Did you know that ducks live in rivers? Oh that reminds me, I gotta pee. (Jumping off couch but continuing conversation as he heads towards the bathroom) I pee like a river, so ducks must live in pee.

HG: (still a little stunned by this particular tangent) ducks don't live in pee.

Sprout: What do they live in then?

HG: The water!!

Sprout: No pee?

HG: (lying through her teeth) none at all.

Sprout: That's too bad ( he returns) hey mommy do you have an alligator?