Tuesday, July 28, 2009

No Peeing!

It's very naughty to tell your kids stuff that's, well, just made up, just because it's so funny that they'll believe anything. I was so noble about the whole Santa Claus thing, not wanting to lie to my kids about it.

But then the other day Leo asked me about this sign. He can recognize the letter P, and he knows what the red circle with a slash means on a sign, so naturally he was wondering precisely what it means you're not allowed to do.

"It's obvious," said I. "You're not allowed to pee here."

Obviously, he believed me. (It probably helped that he's from France, where "no peeing" zones are the exception, see my scrapbooking post.)

Don't worry though! Leo's Daddy later told him what the sign really means: "no parking."

And Leo didn't believe him...

13 comments:

John Moeller said...

I believed for a couple years that hay bales were sleeping sheep because of my father.

This was when they were small and rectangular, not the giant cylindrical monstrosities they are now.

John Moeller said...

Anyway, think of it as inoculating your kids against nonsense. Actually, I'm sure you already think of it that way.

Besides, you'll reap the consequences of your fib when Leo makes sure to move down the street a bit before peeing on the curb. ;-)

Craig said...

I used to do that sort of thing all the time to my little brother. He's turned out to be quite the little sceptic at 12, not believing anything anyone tells him. Let's hope it lasts into adulthood and he's similarly sceptical at the religious nonsense my parents are feeding him.

Rebecca said...

Today my sister-in-law told her two-year-old, Adia, that when she has another baby she won't need Adia anymore.

No, it was funny, trust me.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey John!!!

That's too funny! If it inoculates him against believing whatever nonsense people say, that would be a great bonus on top of how funny it is! :D

Hey Craig!!!

That's cool that it works! Of course it might just make him skeptical of what you say, without transferring that wariness to what others say...

Hey Rebecca!!!

Yikes! I would be very wary of saying something like that to a two-year-old...

Louise said...

Man, and all those years I've been parking by those signs and peeing somewhere else... oh things are going to change!!

gburnett said...

I have a lot of trouble with the whole Santa Claus/Easter Bunny thing - my wife does it all (kind of half-heartedly though) and I just watch. I just can't bring myself to lie to my kids, even if it is fun. I don't know why!

Varina said...

I can't remember if I've told you this story but, I believed in the Easter Bunny several years after I stopped believing in the rest (I stopped believing in the tooth fairy when I realized the rich kids got more money than I did), for the simple reason that every year on Easter eve my dad sat on the porch with a shotgun and we had fried rabbit for Easter dinner. The moral of this story is that if you want to lie to your children, its best to back it up with cold hard evidence...or hot crispy evidence if you prefer.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Louise!!!

LOL!

Hey GBurnett!!!

You know, I've said the same exact thing when it comes to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. But then when Leo was asking me "What does 'no P' sign mean?" I just couldn't resist! I think it's just because the Santa story isn't that funny. ;^)

Hey Sabayon!!!

That is too funny! That would work! But did you think there's a new one every year? (Since you kept eating him an all...)

The Uncredible Hallq said...

So, when I peed on the side of a French building a month ago, there actually wasn't any chance I'd get arrested?

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Uncredible Hallq!!!

LOL, it's possible that it may be illegal in theory, but the chances of anyone batting an eye (much less actually giving you a citation) are pretty slim. ;^)

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to the post you'll write in a few years, telling us how Leo pulled a good one on you.

C. L. Hanson said...

Hey Chaplain!!!

LOL, you're probably right. Leo loves joking! :D