Three car trips, three conversations

Isabelle: Mom, I'm tired of life. Everything is the same every day, all the time.

Me: (suppressing the mother of all eye rolls) It's the end of the year and I think everyone is tired out. Summer will be here soon and everything will be different again.

Isabelle: Life is boring. That's why. Boring, the same thing. Why?

Me: (unable to suppress myself anymore) You're 6. You're too young for an existential crisis.

Isabelle: What's existentional? And 6 is not young mom... it's very OLD.

Me: (TURNING ON THE RADIO.)



Me: What's that smell?

Tom: I dunno. I didn't farted.

Me: Are your feet smelly?

Tom: NO! My feet are NOT smelly. They are not smelly.

Me: (knowing the smell of sneakered foot released when I smell it) Are you sure?

Tom: (sniffing his feet in the car seat)... Ah, yes. Yes, my feet are smelly.

Pause.

Tom: MOMMY!!!! STOP THE CAR - my feets are making me sick. You have to wash them!!!

Me: (TURNING ON THE RADIO.)



Isabelle: I am cheering for Italy [in the world cup]. Who are you cheering for, Tom?

Tom: I'm cheering for ME! Yay, ME!

Isabelle: (exasperated) No, you have to cheer for a team from a place.

Tom: Oh. Well, then I am cheering for Niagara Falls! [best place on earth as far as my well-travelled kiddos are concerned]

Pause.

Isabelle: Mom, is Niagara Falls in the World Cup?

Me: No, Niagara Falls is a city. Only countries have teams in the World Cup.

Isabelle: SEE - you can't cheer for Niagara Falls. You should cheer for Italy.

Tom: NO! I love Niagara Falls and I am cheering for them.

Isabelle: But they don't have a team. Or a jersey even. What are you going to wear?

Tom: [WAILING] I can cheer for Niagara Falls.

Isabelle: MOM!!! Tell him he can't.

Me: (TURNING ON THE RADIO.)