First published at Inside My Head, Friday, October 17, 2008
My son is prepping for his birthday. He says he wants lots of stuff on his list so that he will be surprised with what he ends up with.
"How do you spell, remote control airplane?" he asks.
R
R. Dad's letter. That's just like a K. Only you close up the top.
E
You know how I know E? It's easy to remember even though it's not in my name. It's my sister's name. Why are some E's at the end of words silent. Why do they put silent letters in at all? What's the point?
M
I always mix Ms up with Ns. And I forget. Is it up down up down up down up, or just up down up down? You can write M and N together and just go up down up down up down up.
O
O's are easy. I could just write zero too and you wouldn't know the difference.
T
Huh?
T -- my letter.
T. That's right. Have I been writing capital letters or small letters?
E
What if we just left that off?
It would be a remot rather than a remote.
Really? adds the e
New word -- C
Should I start here or on a new line. I guess I've been writing too big. After this word I will start writing smaller. looks to me in expectation
C
Like an O, but not closed on the side.
O
writes an O
N
How would you spell N?
N
No, I mean, how would you spell the sound, N? Like if you were writing the word, in.
I-N as in I put it in the basket, or E-N makes the sound as in enough or entry
T
I forget T again.
My letter -- T.
Oh right. T. T. Tracy. Tent. T. T. T. Ttttttaaaaallllll.
R
How long do light bulbs last? Do you think we could make our own light bulbs? I want to make a new doll house and put wires in it. Or maybe a real fire place. Could I put a real fire in my house?
I'm not sure a real fire in a shoe box house would be a good idea.
What if I put it in a glass jar? Are we done?
You have written "remote cont."
What's next?
R
What's R?
Dad's letter. Like a K, but with the top closed.
Oh right. R. R. R. R. Does Rand start with R?
Yes.
That's what R sounds like. Rrrrrr. Rand. Rrrrr. Rrrrr.
O
Do you spell O with a silent E? No, it's not an E. What is it? When you say O, you spell it with an...
H?
Yeah. H. I just don't get those silent letters.
L
I'm going to start writing smaller. See how small I can write?
...
3 words, 33 minutes. We're getting there.
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