48 comments on “Actual Questions From Caroline: Installment One”
Wow. Just … wow. Katherine’s had her share (including asking if a cat that had passed away was “in Kevin,” which had both of us struggling to keep straight faces), but that’s a winner.
.
I’d love to know (a) the context, and (b) your response!
The context was: There was no context. It literally came out of nowhere.
.
PAD
Caroline is very smart. She knows her father is connected to Jews and to fiction, so it’s possible that Jews are fictional.
But she also knows that Jews might not be fictional after all (other people get confused about that).
Those are often the best questions. We kept a list for a while of “things Katherine said just before falling asleep,” and they were often pretty out there.
It could be worse – my daughter’s name is Heaven and it’s sometimes a struggle to get people to understand that. She’s been called Kevin, Evan (which is the name of a friend’s son) and Heather. On the plus side, she thinks of the song “Dancing Cheek to Cheek” as her song since it starts, “Heaven … I’m in Heaven..”
Let’s hope she just doesn’t take those lyrics any OTHER way once she’s older.
Tim –
Don’t worry. Anyone trying to get a “little piece of Heaven” is going to find themselves with a BIG piece of Heaven’s Daddy .. or worse, Heaven’s Mommy.
Hmmmm, it’s like the time 5 year old me asked if God resting on the Sabbath meant anything I did on Saturday, He didn’t know about, so a raid on my brother’s room was okay?
But yeah, I’m with the above, I’d love to know context and response.
Well? Are they??????
—KRAD
Aw, that’s adorable :3
Whoa! I’m more interested in the context regarding a deceased cat taking up residence “in Kevin”.
I figure you answered legitimately, so I’ll ask, what was the first thing that popped into your head instead of your actual answer?
Gracecat,
.
Our family’s not religious, but Katherine’s best friend Faith comes from a fairly devout home, and Faith told Katherine that Orpheus (the recently deceased cat) was in heaven now. Katherine, not being familiar as yet with concepts like heaven and hëll (she was 3 at the time), heard “heaven” as “Kevin.”
.
So we knew where the question was coming from … it was just a true keeper, is all.
.
TWL
Oh, ok, I was afraid that Kevin was your boa constrictor.
Most boa’s aren’t really big enough to eat a cat. The python I had when my daughter was born was big enough to not only eat a cat, but could have easily eaten daughter. The snake enclosure became much more secure at that point. Having a snake that size lent those ads reading “free to a good home…” an unintended appeal. Rabbits can get expensive.
No boas in the house at present, but now you’ve given Lisa ideas…
Lisa’s not a fan of the Far Side, is she, Tim? Because THEN you’d have to worry.
We’re both huge Far Side fans. We crossed that Rubicon a long time ago. 🙂
Tim,
ROFLMAO, that’s too cute!!! Thanks for sharing. She sounds precious. We have a 3 year old son who I figure will just accept things as they are and make announcements rather than ask questions.
~Gracie
Don’t bet on it. 🙂 And yes, she’s pretty neat.
Speaking as a Jew, I’ve often wondered the same thing.
I think we are. At least I think I am.
I hope so – otherwise my best friend is a figment of my imagination, and he’s not nice enough for that.
BTW Is Caroline actually seeing (or being read) these answers?
When I was six years old, I watched some of the TV coverage of the 1976 Olympics. The coverage included a story about the murder of several Israeli Olympians and their coaches by the militant group “Black September” during the 1972 Olympics. I asked my mother to help me understand what happened. Apparently forgetting she was speaking to a six-year-old, she told me the Israelis had been killed by “guerillas,” by which she meant “terrorists.” I, however, thought she meant “gorrilas,” and figured some apes must have escaped from a local zoo and killed the Israelis.
Bill, reading your post is the first time I’ve ever realized that there’s a different spelling for ‘guerillas’. I always thought it was “gorrilas.”
Ayup, homonyms can be tricky things. When I was in grammar school and read comic books before I knew anything about the French language, I thought “coup de grace” was pronounced “coop” (like where chickens live) “de grace” (as in “say grace before supper”). Fortunately the phrase didn’t come up much in casual conversation.
I, too, was first exposed to written French in comics, and I remember getting a huge laugh from my mom the first time I tried to pronounce “hors d’oeuvres”. It came out sounding something like “whørëš dee-verse.
.
Chuck
Which in itself is a different spelling since the world is “gorillas.”
.
PAD
It was only later that you learned that gorillas are more humane and have generally better hygiene than members of Black September.
That’s an understandable mistake at such a young age. Today you already know enough about international politics to know that gorillas tend to be pro-Israeli.
Especially the gorilla my dreams.
I actually knew that there were two spellings, but I used to think when I was much younger they called them that because they fought like gorillas. You know, in the trees.
Hey PAD, I’m curious, what did you give her as an answer?
–Mike
I told her yes, and that her sister and I were both Jewish.
.
PAD
Her middle name wouldn’t happen to be Virginia, would it, Peter?
I wonder if she’s making some connection between “Jews” and “Israel”.
Reminds me of my friends six year-old who asked his mother “Do vágìņáš care?”. After fumbling through trying to understand it, and offer some kind of answer, it was weeks later when watching some kids video they owned when mom realized the Irish character in the video was asking (in brogue) “Would ye cair t’jain us?” (Would you care to join us).
Hey PAD, out of curiosity, what did you answer?
You know… I’m actually not that surprised by this question. Most of us don’t wear our Jewishness on our sleeves, and as a whole, we’ve tried pretty hard to assimilate into the greater culture. I do get some surprised looks sometimes when people find out I’m Jewish… so it’s not inconceivable that a young child might wonder whether we even exist. Like anodyne unicorns.
Couldn´t she been asking about Jedis? When I was a kid, appart from the Disney movies, I remember Star Wars saga. The second saga came a lot of years later, and I found myself taking my dad to the movies, as both are fans.
It is today, that everybody remembers my recon of Star wars movie, that took almost as long as the movie itself. There was no small detail for me.
Sure, for me Jedis were as real as Jews.
Mind you, in spanish, Jedis and Jews sound alike.
Maybe she meant “Are Jews FOR real?” Like, what’s up with a two state solution? Or was her inner Latina coming out: Are joo for real?
Maybe she wanted to ask if Jaws was real.
I want the answer to Mike’s question. I mean if it’s a highly personal answer, then sure, don’t tell, but I love cute things that kids do.
Like, when my cousin was in the room while the Vice Presidential debates were on and said “She’s a pretty white lady, but she’s not the RIGHT lady.” Her parents stared at her and she clarified “For the GOVERNMENT,” as though they should know this.
She’s five and overheard them talking about how they don’t like Sarah Palin.
Wordplay. Capital. Top drawer.
PAD answered further up the thread.
Ah, I suck roasted peanuts, never mind.
Although props to Peter for not telling his daughter that she was Jewish without actually getting the kids opinion on it. Like how my friend’s dad told him he was a Republican when he was just seven and didn’t get that the President was an elected official and not a king.
Although that would help explain George W. and John Q.
Although props to Peter for not telling his daughter that she was Jewish without actually getting the kids opinion on it.
.
It’s not a matter of opinion: Caroline isn’t Jewish. Her mother is Catholic and she was baptized Catholic. She has Jewish heritage, certainly, but she’s not Jewish.
.
PAD
Well, everything we know of her certainly tells us she’s adorable, wherever she came from.
.
That said, do you ever wonder, Peter, if we do our children a disservice by informing them of their religion instead of waiting until they come to it on their own, or at least express an interest? It’s always struck me as something like demanding them to root for your sports team while they still don’t understand the reasons why one watches the game. There’s this book called When Skateboards Will Be Free about a guy being raised as a communist in America, and having to operate with a certain view of reality for the rest of his life because he didn’t realize he’d have a choice in the matter.
.
I’m not saying I have a better idea than everybody taking care of their kids as best they know how, I’m just saying it’s something that I think about a lot. Maybe I just have a fear of the word ‘indoctrination’ and it makes me worry. ‘-ation’ words often do.
Sure she didn’t just want some juice?
“Are Jews for real?”
“Certainly, dear. Your mother and I are Jews.”
“Great Jews?”
“Well, maybe not great jews…”
“Aren’t Jews?”
“Just because we’re not great doesn’t mean we’re not Jews at all!”
“… Apple Jews?”
This may not make sense to anyone but me.
Quoted from Scott: “Speaking as a Jew, I’ve often wondered the same thing.”
• 
Wow. Just … wow. Katherine’s had her share (including asking if a cat that had passed away was “in Kevin,” which had both of us struggling to keep straight faces), but that’s a winner.
.
I’d love to know (a) the context, and (b) your response!
The context was: There was no context. It literally came out of nowhere.
.
PAD
Caroline is very smart. She knows her father is connected to Jews and to fiction, so it’s possible that Jews are fictional.
But she also knows that Jews might not be fictional after all (other people get confused about that).
Those are often the best questions. We kept a list for a while of “things Katherine said just before falling asleep,” and they were often pretty out there.
It could be worse – my daughter’s name is Heaven and it’s sometimes a struggle to get people to understand that. She’s been called Kevin, Evan (which is the name of a friend’s son) and Heather. On the plus side, she thinks of the song “Dancing Cheek to Cheek” as her song since it starts, “Heaven … I’m in Heaven..”
Let’s hope she just doesn’t take those lyrics any OTHER way once she’s older.
Tim –
Don’t worry. Anyone trying to get a “little piece of Heaven” is going to find themselves with a BIG piece of Heaven’s Daddy .. or worse, Heaven’s Mommy.
Hmmmm, it’s like the time 5 year old me asked if God resting on the Sabbath meant anything I did on Saturday, He didn’t know about, so a raid on my brother’s room was okay?
But yeah, I’m with the above, I’d love to know context and response.
Well? Are they??????
—KRAD
Aw, that’s adorable :3
Whoa! I’m more interested in the context regarding a deceased cat taking up residence “in Kevin”.
I figure you answered legitimately, so I’ll ask, what was the first thing that popped into your head instead of your actual answer?
Gracecat,
.
Our family’s not religious, but Katherine’s best friend Faith comes from a fairly devout home, and Faith told Katherine that Orpheus (the recently deceased cat) was in heaven now. Katherine, not being familiar as yet with concepts like heaven and hëll (she was 3 at the time), heard “heaven” as “Kevin.”
.
So we knew where the question was coming from … it was just a true keeper, is all.
.
TWL
Oh, ok, I was afraid that Kevin was your boa constrictor.
Most boa’s aren’t really big enough to eat a cat. The python I had when my daughter was born was big enough to not only eat a cat, but could have easily eaten daughter. The snake enclosure became much more secure at that point. Having a snake that size lent those ads reading “free to a good home…” an unintended appeal. Rabbits can get expensive.
No boas in the house at present, but now you’ve given Lisa ideas…
Lisa’s not a fan of the Far Side, is she, Tim? Because THEN you’d have to worry.
We’re both huge Far Side fans. We crossed that Rubicon a long time ago. 🙂
Tim,
ROFLMAO, that’s too cute!!! Thanks for sharing. She sounds precious. We have a 3 year old son who I figure will just accept things as they are and make announcements rather than ask questions.
~Gracie
Don’t bet on it. 🙂 And yes, she’s pretty neat.
Speaking as a Jew, I’ve often wondered the same thing.
I think we are. At least I think I am.
I hope so – otherwise my best friend is a figment of my imagination, and he’s not nice enough for that.
BTW Is Caroline actually seeing (or being read) these answers?
When I was six years old, I watched some of the TV coverage of the 1976 Olympics. The coverage included a story about the murder of several Israeli Olympians and their coaches by the militant group “Black September” during the 1972 Olympics. I asked my mother to help me understand what happened. Apparently forgetting she was speaking to a six-year-old, she told me the Israelis had been killed by “guerillas,” by which she meant “terrorists.” I, however, thought she meant “gorrilas,” and figured some apes must have escaped from a local zoo and killed the Israelis.
Bill, reading your post is the first time I’ve ever realized that there’s a different spelling for ‘guerillas’. I always thought it was “gorrilas.”
Ayup, homonyms can be tricky things. When I was in grammar school and read comic books before I knew anything about the French language, I thought “coup de grace” was pronounced “coop” (like where chickens live) “de grace” (as in “say grace before supper”). Fortunately the phrase didn’t come up much in casual conversation.
I, too, was first exposed to written French in comics, and I remember getting a huge laugh from my mom the first time I tried to pronounce “hors d’oeuvres”. It came out sounding something like “whørëš dee-verse.
.
Chuck
Which in itself is a different spelling since the world is “gorillas.”
.
PAD
It was only later that you learned that gorillas are more humane and have generally better hygiene than members of Black September.
That’s an understandable mistake at such a young age. Today you already know enough about international politics to know that gorillas tend to be pro-Israeli.
Especially the gorilla my dreams.
I actually knew that there were two spellings, but I used to think when I was much younger they called them that because they fought like gorillas. You know, in the trees.
Hey PAD, I’m curious, what did you give her as an answer?
–Mike
I told her yes, and that her sister and I were both Jewish.
.
PAD
Her middle name wouldn’t happen to be Virginia, would it, Peter?
I wonder if she’s making some connection between “Jews” and “Israel”.
Reminds me of my friends six year-old who asked his mother “Do vágìņáš care?”. After fumbling through trying to understand it, and offer some kind of answer, it was weeks later when watching some kids video they owned when mom realized the Irish character in the video was asking (in brogue) “Would ye cair t’jain us?” (Would you care to join us).
Hey PAD, out of curiosity, what did you answer?
You know… I’m actually not that surprised by this question. Most of us don’t wear our Jewishness on our sleeves, and as a whole, we’ve tried pretty hard to assimilate into the greater culture. I do get some surprised looks sometimes when people find out I’m Jewish… so it’s not inconceivable that a young child might wonder whether we even exist. Like anodyne unicorns.
Couldn´t she been asking about Jedis? When I was a kid, appart from the Disney movies, I remember Star Wars saga. The second saga came a lot of years later, and I found myself taking my dad to the movies, as both are fans.
It is today, that everybody remembers my recon of Star wars movie, that took almost as long as the movie itself. There was no small detail for me.
Sure, for me Jedis were as real as Jews.
Mind you, in spanish, Jedis and Jews sound alike.
Maybe she meant “Are Jews FOR real?” Like, what’s up with a two state solution? Or was her inner Latina coming out: Are joo for real?
Maybe she wanted to ask if Jaws was real.
I want the answer to Mike’s question. I mean if it’s a highly personal answer, then sure, don’t tell, but I love cute things that kids do.
Like, when my cousin was in the room while the Vice Presidential debates were on and said “She’s a pretty white lady, but she’s not the RIGHT lady.” Her parents stared at her and she clarified “For the GOVERNMENT,” as though they should know this.
She’s five and overheard them talking about how they don’t like Sarah Palin.
Wordplay. Capital. Top drawer.
PAD answered further up the thread.
Ah, I suck roasted peanuts, never mind.
Although props to Peter for not telling his daughter that she was Jewish without actually getting the kids opinion on it. Like how my friend’s dad told him he was a Republican when he was just seven and didn’t get that the President was an elected official and not a king.
Although that would help explain George W. and John Q.
Although props to Peter for not telling his daughter that she was Jewish without actually getting the kids opinion on it.
.
It’s not a matter of opinion: Caroline isn’t Jewish. Her mother is Catholic and she was baptized Catholic. She has Jewish heritage, certainly, but she’s not Jewish.
.
PAD
Well, everything we know of her certainly tells us she’s adorable, wherever she came from.
.
That said, do you ever wonder, Peter, if we do our children a disservice by informing them of their religion instead of waiting until they come to it on their own, or at least express an interest? It’s always struck me as something like demanding them to root for your sports team while they still don’t understand the reasons why one watches the game. There’s this book called When Skateboards Will Be Free about a guy being raised as a communist in America, and having to operate with a certain view of reality for the rest of his life because he didn’t realize he’d have a choice in the matter.
.
I’m not saying I have a better idea than everybody taking care of their kids as best they know how, I’m just saying it’s something that I think about a lot. Maybe I just have a fear of the word ‘indoctrination’ and it makes me worry. ‘-ation’ words often do.
Sure she didn’t just want some juice?
“Are Jews for real?”
“Certainly, dear. Your mother and I are Jews.”
“Great Jews?”
“Well, maybe not great jews…”
“Aren’t Jews?”
“Just because we’re not great doesn’t mean we’re not Jews at all!”
“… Apple Jews?”
This may not make sense to anyone but me.
Quoted from Scott: “Speaking as a Jew, I’ve often wondered the same thing.”
Now I think we may be getting into philosophy.