Clevernesses

One of the last things I do with the kids before bed is count for them. It used to be reasonable: when BSM was tiny, I wanted him to be able to recognized numbers (so I could set time limits using an analog clock, and he could watch the minute hand moving and know how much time he had left). To teach him to recognize numbers and get him comfortable with clocks, before bed each night, I would point to each number on his clock and name it. 

But the world has moved on, and now I just count for the boys because it's faster to count than to fight. However, I do have my limits: I will not count past 100. BSM eventually realized that he can request a number larger than 100 if he agrees that I count by 2's/5's/100's etc. (which he understands and does not feel cheated by). FF is still trying to figure out how this game works, but for him I do not count past 100. Not by 2's, not by 7's, not by 16's. (Because he does not understand this trick, and does feel cheated by it.) Just. No. 

But FF did finally find one workaround. "What number do you want me to count until tonight?"
"Two thousand!"
"No. I do not count past 100."
"Right, so two thousand. Ay Kay Ay one hundred."

Firstly, as we all know, that's one funny kid. Secondly, where did he learn the use and meaning of "a.k.a."?

***

I was setting up BSM for a school Zoom meeting the other day, so I started to close all of the other tabs open on his browser. He asked me to please leave one of them open, and I explained that I couldn't, because that tab was for a site which is inclined to randomly start playing audio. "No, but I already muted it!" BSM insisted. I started to explain what "randomly starting" means, when BSM showed me that it was all good:

So I learned something.