Reading comprehension, people....

I posted a review on Amazon where I mentioned, among other things, that I don't think it's a terrible thing for a picture book to include the line "Llama Llama hates this book!" to show that a small child is very upset and NOT willing to cooperate. This is the sort of thing, I said, that four year olds often say. (I was very clear when I said four year olds.) In my experience, they just looooooove to say strong and shocking things, especially if it gets them a reaction. And in my experience, they don't learn these words from books, they learn it from the people around them, their parents and other adults. Something happens and we grumble that we HATE it when that happens.

To this I get the reply from somebody who thinks she is normal (she said that!) and HER toddler doesn't say hate because even though "of course she says it" she's a grown-up and doesn't say it to him.

Four year olds aren't toddlers. Aside from the fact that few parents really do say "I hate this" to their children (under their breath around their kids is sufficient), four year olds aren't toddlers. Her kid, judging from her recent reviews, has just started potty training. He's not four years old.

Which means that in another two years, her kid is going to start shocking her with his language. She's got some time for him to do that! The question is, at that point, will she remember my comment about her kid not being in the potty-mouth stage yet?

A word to the wise: If the kids in your life are not yet a certain age, when you see kids of that age acting out, or hear people talking about it like it's normal, don't assume that those people are just nuts. They might be, of course, but it's very likely that you just don't know anything about it yet.

Also, be prepared for the fuckin' fours. Oy vey.