If you were at our house this past week, you would have overheard the following conversations involving The Girls:

ON THE ROLE OF THE BIG TOE IN DRIVIING

Girl:  Can we drive the stick shift to school tomorrow?

Dad: Not just yet. I’d like to wait until you’re not stalling out anymore. And a couple of times it’s made me nervous how long you waited to brake. I was practically pushing a hole in the floor of the car.

Girl:  Dad, you don’t have to worry about it. I learned how to drive watching SpongeBob.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING BUSY

Shrieks emanating from the top of the loft beds and down the hallway:  Kathy! Kathy! KATHY! [This is not The Girls being rude. This is The Girls being desperate…I learned to tune out “Mom…Mom…Mom…” years ago.]

Me, running down the hallway:  What? What is it?

Girls:  Um, never mind.

Me:  Well, what? What did you need? A drink?

Girls:  Nothing! Never mind!

Me:  Did you need me to turn off the light?

Girls: No! Never mind!

Me:  Did you need me to shut the door?

Girls: N- Uh, yeah! Yeah, shut the door!

As I shut their bedroom door, a tiny whisper floats down from the loft beds:  “Just give her something to do and then she’ll go away.”

ON GENDER ROLES:

One Girl watching the other, perplexed:  Why are you washing the dishes? That’s a man’s job.