Problem Words

When I was in about fourth grade, my best friend Esther got a new baby sister.  As her sister started talking, Esther and her siblings thought it was the funniest thing ever to get her to say “truck.”  Little Becca’s “truck” rhymed with truck but started with “f.”  Now, this was a mormon family where you were in serious trouble if you got caught saying “butt” and therefore had to say “rump.”  I tried to stay out of it.

I was recently reminded of these problem words this past January when we went with my nephew to Disneyland.  We were in the hotel lobby, waiting to be seated for the “Mickey and Friends” breakfast.  My nephew was so excited he couldn’t keep still.  All of a sudden, he comes running past the hostess yelling, “It’s Tits!  It’s Tits!”  I was a bit taken aback.  Is Pamela Anderson in a new Disney movie?  Then it dawned on me, Stitch was in there.  That creepy koala bear alien.  Jakey was so scared he hid his face in my stitch.

And then I was hanging out with our godson, Cooper.  Coop is addicted to trains; specifically, Thomas the Train.  Apparently Thomas is British, which I did not know.  Thomas has a train buddy named Percy.  Only, let’s just say, most kids cannot say Percy.  I’m starting to see a pattern here… I tried to change the subject.

Now we’re at the stage where Jacob is ready to start upping his polite factor.  I’d like to hear more frequent use of the words “please” and “thank you,”  without so much prompting.  The only problem?  “Thank you” is “doo doo.”

It’s not really improving my impression of his manners.