Big Kids

Nathan identifies all children in one of three categories: Babies, Little Kids and Big Kids. I remember the first time he informed us he wasn't a baby anymore. At that time, there were only two categories: Babies and Big kids. Since going to preschool, he's added the little kids designation, and has determined that to be his place. Recently, though, he told me he's not really a little kid anymore - he's almost a big kid now. He's started calling Laura and I "Mom" and "Dad" more often than "Mommy" and "Daddy". Anyway, he's riding with me last week and, as we drove past a middle school with kids playing outside, he commented, "Dad! Look at those big kids! That's a big-kid school!" I informed him that it was called a "middle school", because that's where kids go who are too big for elementary and not yet ready for high school. A little later, we passed by a high school. There was much more parking lot area and cars. Nathan concluded, "Hey, Dad! That school is for really big kids! And, they can drive!" (Another category!) I told him it was a high school. "Yeah, and there's lots of really big kids there, Dad - like you!" (I assumed he meant "tall" like me, although he could have meant what he said - "really big kids like you") "Maybe there's some '37' kids like you, Daddy!" (yes, he knows my age) I laughed out loud and said, "Yeah, probably so, but the '37 kids' are the teachers. And, just for the record, I'm 38, if you count the womb time." (That should keep him thinking...)