Quote of the Day

On Sunday, Jack and Owyn were looking at the map and talking about different parts of the world.  Owyn is currently obsessed with Tokyo, not as much as he is with Chicago, but he asks a lot of questions about Tokyo. 

This particular conversation somehow led to a conversation about North Korea and South Korea and their political differences.  Jack told Owyn about the North Korean President, Kim Jong-il, that he controls the country, and that some people would say that he is mean to the people of North Korea as well as others.  Owyn equated him to Hitler, someone he heard about from me in a prior discussion of "mean people in history".  At some point, Jack must have called Kim Jong-il a "dictator". 

Fast forward to Monday and a different conversation...

Owyn and Zoee were collecting toys to take into the bus tent in the family room.  I told Owyn he can't play one of his favorite games, "pack up", where he piles nearly every toy he owns into a heap and then doesn't clean it up.  I hear Owyn telling Zoee about North Korea and asking her if Mommy is mean because I'm in charge and tell them what to do.  I can tell he's searching for a word, but I think it will be the usual "meanest Mommy ever" that comes out of his mouth from time to time.  Finally, he asks me:

Owyn:  Mom, what do you call that president of North Korea?
Me:  You mean Kim Jong-il?
Owyn:  No, what did Daddy call him?
Me:  Hmmm, I'm not sure. What did he tell you?
Owyn:  I think it's a tater-head. Yeah, Daddy called him a tater-head.
Me:  Do you mean a dictator?
Owyn:  Yes!  A dictator!  Mommy, you're a dictator.  Zoee, Mommy's a dictator.

I was proud that he was both engaged in the conversation with his Dad the day before, and able to correctly apply the word. 

I was hopeful that someday he would soak up lessons from his teachers in history, science, and math. 

I was not thrilled at the idea of being compared to Kim Jong-il and Hitler.

And I lost count of how many times I heard the word "dictator" for the rest of the afternoon.