Me and JP, Conversations with a 3-Year-Old

JP is my three-year-old grandson. He and his mom and dad and their English bulldog live with us while their new house is being built.  One of the best things about having them there is spending time talking with him.  It makes me hopeful for the next generation.  He is so wise and so much fun!   Earlier this week we were at Bass Pro Shop with him, which, if you’re not familiar with it, is a hunting, fishing, sporting goods type store chain in the U.S. They have a winter wonderland set up in November and December with lots of kids’ activities and he had a very brief visit with Santa there.  He doesn’t look it, but he can be a little shy, especially with unfamiliar situations.

He loves going to Bass Pro the rest of the year to ride up and down in the glass elevator and to visit the huge bear statue that is fascinatingly anatomically correct.  He also likes all the fish.  There’s a big freshwater tank of dull brown and gray lake and river fish, a huge tank of tropical fish by the restaurant and fish forms stamped on the walkways to the parking lot.  This was our conversation on the way to the car:

Me:  There’s our car.  We need to walk where the fish are on the street.  That’s called the crosswalk.  Do you see the fish?

JP:  Nana, say, “Justin, do you see the fish on the street?”

Me:  Okay.   (Playing along.)   Justin, do you see the fish on the street?

JP:  Settle down, Nana.  I see the fish.

Me:  What??

JP:  Booyah, Nana!  (Something his father taught him.  We’re so       proud…)

Playing straight man for a three year old…

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