Keep it simple!

Oh, the lessons our children teach us.

This is a conversation I had with my daughter today when we were driving up to see Grandma. (2.5 hours away) Her words are in purple.

"Mom, how long before we get there?"

"About 15 mins"

"How long?"

"15 mins!"

"How long is 15 mins?"

"umm, half of a Spongebob cartoon"

(silent for a few moments) "A short Spongebob, or long one?"

"A NORMAL one, Kaylee."

"The movie or the ones on TV?"

"Nevermind, Kaylee. 15 mins is about how long your recess is at school."

"First recess, or second recess?"

"Both of them!"

"But the first recess is shorter than the second one cause we have to eat lunch too."

(Me attempting to change the subject) "Hey, do you have your new watch in your little purse?"

"Yep!"

"Take it out and tell me what number the big hand is pointing at."

(rummaging through her little purse for her new clip-on watch thing) "The big hand is on the '3', mommy."

(5 mins has now passed) "OK, when the big hand is on the '5', we will be at Grandma's house."

"So, it is 15 mins from the 3 to the 5?"

"NO, NOW we will be there in 10 mins, and each number means five minutes, so the 3-to-the-5 is 10 mins, and the big hand will be on the 5 when we get there."

"OK" (30 seconds passes) "MOM, the big hand isn't moving!"

"That's because you are looking at it...look out the window for a bit, then look at your watch again, and I bet the big hand will be closer to the 5".

"How come the big hand doesn't move if I look at it?"

"It still moves, it's just so slow you can't see it moving".

"OH! I think it moved now, but it's gonna take a LONG time to get to the 5. I'm sick of being in the car, and I have to go potty!!!"

"Kaylee, it's only a few minutes, it won't take that long, now just look out the window and before you know it, we'll be there".

(Pulling into Grandma's driveway)

"YAY! We're here! That wasn't very long mommy! Why didn't you just tell me we were almost there in the first place???"

"I have no idea, Kaylee."