Monday, June 09, 2008

Blame Bill Cosby

My daughters, all of two and three years old, think it's the height of comedy to walk up to me, point at my face, and insult me. Really. I'm getting insulted by pre-schoolers, and I blame Bill Cosby.

The girls like to watch Little Bill, a cartoon that Bill Cosby created (and, coincidentally, my cousin Shauna animated for. Shauna was the talent behind those beautiful pictures of Clara and her toy trains last year.) In one particular episode, a new kid who likes to toss around insults comes to Little Bill's school. He walks up to Little Bill and says, "You're a peanut-head!" As an objective observer, I'd have to agree that Little Bill's head is shaped just like a peanut, but that's neither here nor there. Little Bill gets his feelings hurt and his dad shows him how to deal with mean kids.

It's a cute episode and can be very useful for little kids who are sensitive to what other kids say to or about them. But my girls seemed to miss all the positive stuff and zeroed in on how fun it seemed to insult someone. Clara will point and say, "You're a peanut!" to me, which I guess is supposed to be insulting, though Megan has always used it as a term of endearment with the girls: "Come on, Peanut. Hold my hand."

I didn't want to make a big deal about this phase because then she'd think it was even more cool to do it, but now that she's gotten Kate to do it they feed off each other. I definitely don't want them to do it to other kids.

Me: Hi sweeties!
Kate: You're a peanut!
Me: I'm a peanut? I thought I was your Daddy.
Clara: You're a poopy diaper!
Me: What?!?
Kate & Clara: You're a poopy diaper! You're a poopy diaper! (lots of laughter)
Me: Is it your bedtime yet?

Clara will take anything marginally inappropriate and turn it into an insult:

Clara: You're a bootie!
Me: You know what you are? You're beautiful.
Clara: You're a tooty-boy!
Me: Great.

So, thanks Bill Cosby.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, this too shall pass. Elena (also 3) enjoys calling people poopy things but Davis has moved on. So, by 7 they will have tired of calling you tooty boy. Of course, by the time Clara is 7 little Bittle girl #3 will be 3 and will be calling you poopy head. :) Looks like a long road for you!

-Traci

Anonymous said...

Definitely must be an age thing. Andrew (just minutes ago) called me "corn". "Your corn mommy. H Ha HA!" I am not sure how that was supposed to be insulting, but apparently it was.

Joel Bittle said...

Elena calls people poopy things? Sweet little Elena? My image of her as a dainty little lady is shattered!

And "Corn"?!? That's gold I say! Gold! Well played, Andrew.

Unknown said...

My daughter called me a poot-tooter. Too bad it's true. My son went through a stage calling us things that made no sense what so ever....mommy your an eyeball head. You're a baby head. Everything was "something" head. Drove us insane. We only allow the "potty or poopy" talk in the bathroom. This worked great for a while, but now it is non-stop during bathtime. It's like they have been holding it in all day and have to get it all out of their systems or something. sigh.