A Discussion With Puzilla

Just had the BEST conversation with one of my kids in about a week. I was downstairs cleaning the bathroom (see today's post for the how's and why's of that) when Puzilla comes down.

"Dad, can I say the H word?"

Now I am a do as I say kind of Dad not the say as I say kind. My own word selection is oft discussed ("disCUSSED". Ha Ha Ha, that's pretty good word usage!) but I don't let my kids swear.

Yes, that makes me a hypocrite.

Anyway, if my shy little waif of a thirty-pound-soaking-wet-in-all-her-clothes daughter thinks she has a compelling reason to cuss and is willing to ask my permission, I am willing to listen to her.

"Why, pray tell, would you need to say the H word?" I asked her.

"Because Haggis (my brothers nickname for the Eldest) and Moe are supposed to be helping me clean the living room and they won't listen to me. So I want to tell them to get the "h" on the stick. If they hear me swear, they'll pay better attention."

Having subscribed to this theory myself on a plentitude of occasions, I was forced to agree that she was probably right. And frankly there is a large part of me that would be highly amused to see the improbable sight of meek and tiny Puzilla cussing at anyone.

But fortunately it is not as large as the part of me that knows I shouldn't be cussing myself, let alone granting permission for my kids to do it.

So I told her that I was sorry, but she could not.

After all, I wouldn't want us to both wind up in the H word when we die!