What She's Really Saying

Keisha and Jennie are in the kitchen, making dinner.

Jennie mentioned that she was feeling hot, obviously from being around the oven. Then Keisha said she felt like a "Hot Girl". Jennie asked Keisha, our 7-year old first grader, if she knew what a "Hot Girl" was. She said she didn't know, so Jennie sent her to see me.

I knew I'd need to explain it to her in a way she could understand without being overly coarse. So I told Keisha that a "Hot Girl" is someone who is very, very beautiful.

"Like me!" Keisha said.

"Usually it's like someone you would want to marry," I said.

"Oh, like Jennie!" she said, referring to her mom.

"Absolutely!" I said.

Then Jennie said, "Who are you calling, 'Jennie'?" Keisha chuckled.

This girl, who you might recall, is hard of hearing. This means that, even though she wears hearing aids, sometimes words don't come in that clear. Like this afternoon, she said that she wants to grow up and become a "Tick Tock" dancer. Then she proceeded to give us a demonstration, busting a move.

"Oh, you mean like in those music videos?" I said. Jennie didn't understand. "Those where they play the 'tick tock' music?" I smiled. Jennie understood.