Monday, August 25, 2008

Would you like ants with that?

Today my 4 year old wanted to know if people live at the bottom of the world in the arctic. The conversation went something like this:

4 year old: Mom, do people live at the bottom of the world in the arctic?

Me: Honey, the bottom of the world is called Antarctica. The top of the world is the Arctic.

4 year old: Nooooo. I'm talking about the bottom of the world with the ice.

Me: The bottom is Antarctica. The top is called the Arctic.

4 year old: (clearly getting frustrated now) Noooooo. Mom, I mean the plain one!

Me: The plain one? (I'm trying to think if there are any plains in the Arctic or Antarctica.)

4 year old: Yes, the plain one. Do people live in the plain one?

Me: Uhhhhhh (completely confused)

4 year old: (almost ready to throw a tantrum because I'm not able to answer his question about people living on the "plain one.") You know the one without the ants. Do people live on the plain Arctic?

Me: Ohhhh! You mean the Arctic is plain because "ant" is part of Antarctica?

4 year old: Duhhh (ok, he didn't actually say that, but the look he gave me said it loud and clear!)

Me: I think Santa Claus lives in the Arctic.

4 year old: OK (finally satisfied with an answer).

Some how Santa seemed like a perfectly logical answer to that logical conversation.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I love "logical" conversations with kids!

Michelle said...

Boy does that sound familiar or what! At least you finally got what he was talking about. There are some where I've just had to give up because I'm obviously too obtuse.

Elizabeth said...

Ohhhhhh, OK. I get it.
Plain and with ants...uh huh.

I love talking to children...
Blessings, E

Unknown said...

This is my kind of story...kids say the funniest things.

The Ant Artica....I am going to have to remember that one.