Dinosaur poop was the topic of conversation with my 4 year old today.
My son loves dinosaurs and today was show-and-tell at school. On a recent trip to REI, he sold me on his “need” for a dinosaur flashlight which would be his item to present today. Somehow, our after-school talk turned to dinosaur poop.
4 year old: “Dad, do dinosaurs poop?”
Me: “Of course they do. All animals do.”
4 year old: “Wait. I got an email.”
Me: “Who’s it from?”
4 year old: “Colter, my cousin. He said that a T-Rex doesn’t poop.”
Me: “Really? I don’t think that’s right.”
4 year old: “Yes it is. Colter said so. I got an email.”
I’ve had these discussions with my son before. Not about dinosaur poop but rather ones where he wins the debate by referencing an email. My 4 year old can use the tablet on his own already. He knows how to access saved searches for dinosaurs that we’ve saved for him. And lately he will watch a particular documentary about a dinosaur dig and try to match his plastic toys to the fossils that the scientists are discussing.
The influence we have over the youngsters in our lives is perhaps the most influence that we as adults have anywhere. One slip of the tongue and that bad word comes back to haunt you. Reference your email a lot? You kids pick up on that too.
I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all but it certainly does illustrate the impact that we have on our children even in those moments between conversations when we just need to check email.
