My Children, My Mirror

Quinn has this weird habit of saying "I don't know" to questions and then immediately answering them. Here is a typical conversation with him:

Me: What is that you are holding, Quinn?

Quinn: I don't know. A ball.

Me: What are you going to do with it?

Quinn: I don't know. Bounce it.

Me: What color is it?

Quinn: I don't know. Red.



HERE is the conversation I had with my mother-in-law the other day:

MIL: Have you noticed how Quinn always say "I don't know" before he gives an answer? Do you think he really know what that means?

Me: I don't know. I think he knows what it means because he uses it correctly a lot, so maybe it is just a weird habit he somehow formed.


Did you catch what just happened there? HE GETS IT FROM ME!! My mother-in-law burst into laughter when she heard me do it, which is what brought it to my attention. I thought it might be a fluke, but no, I catch myself doing it about ten times a a day. For instance, Henry will ask where the crayons are, and I will say, "I don't know. In the toy room." It is like a disease. I can't stop doing it. How have I done this my whole life and never noticed? I don't know. I guess I just have.

So what say you people? Have you ever noticed your children doing something odd, only to discover they learned it from you? They learned it by watching you! (In case you missed it, that last line there was a reference to a very cheesy 80's anti-drug commercial. Does anyone else remember that commercial?)