My Family’s Shape

mr_triangle1.jpg

photo by the shape people

On the way home, Smiley Face brought it to my attention that she’s already 11 and soon she will be a teenager.

I said, “Oh no, you’ll no longer be a cute little girl.”

“Yeah, I won’t be ACUTE angle anymore I’ll be a Right angle.” she replied with pride after making her math pun.

“What?” I answered.

“You know, before I was ACUTE because I’m your little CUTE girl, now that at I’m 11, I’m a RIGHT angle because I’m at a RIGHT age where I will still do everything you say. But, when I become a teenager, I will be an OBTUSE angle because I’ll be trying to stretch myself out to be bigger than I am.”

I slowed the car down, looked at her and said, “Huh?”

“Dadieeee.”

“Ok, if you are a right angle, what am I?”

She could barely contain her excitement and said, “You’re a triangle because you have three sides.”

“What do you mean I have 3 sides.”

“Well, you’re funny, serious, and tired. That’s it, three sides.”

“Ok, what about Mama, what shape is she?”

“Oh, Daddy that’s so easy. She’s a circle because she’s perfect.”

“How come Mama gets to be a perfect circle and I’m a triangle?”

She laughed and said, “That’s just the way things are.”

“Hmmmmm…what about your brothers and sister”

“Ok. The Guy In The Middle is an IRREGULAR shape because he is just plain weird. The Prodigal Son is an OBLONG shape because his face and body is OBlong. My sister, The Family Genius, is a POLYGON because there are so many sides to her. Sometimes she’s happy, other times she’s sad, and on and on and on. Now Sylar on the other hand is the new ACUTE angle because he is so cute even though sometimes you want to smack him around.”

“Man, you’ve really thought this thing through, huh?”

She smiled and said, “Of course. Will you post this on your blog?”

I said, “Maybe, if I don’t have anything important to say.”

She tilted her head to the right, looked at me, smiled and looked away. Meanwhile, I kept my eyes on the road and I kept thinking how I became a triangle. Well, at least she didn’t say that I was a square.

  1. Vered Said,

    What an adorable conversation! I thought the “funny, serious and TIRED” description was hilarious and I also like the circle. I hope I am a circle to my own daughters, but I agree that a triangle is better than a square!

  1. SherE1 Said,

    That was a VERY complicated analogy your daughter thought up there. Kudos to her!

    My 12 YO is very excited about turning 13 next year. I am dreading it. I don’t want any of my babies to grow up!

  1. kbreints Said,

    no way– she really came up with all of that? She must have been thinking baout it for a while… what a doll!

  1. ED Said,

    That was really funny! A Good read!

  1. david Said,

    this is hilarious! HA! LOL!

    My 4 year old “tricked” me the other day. I didn’t even see it coming:

    Son: I want a new toy car
    Me: You can’t have one. You don’t have any money do you?
    Son: No. Do *you* have any money?
    Me: (indignant) Ofcourse I do!
    Son: Okay (holds out his hand) then give me some!

  1. @Everyone—When I finished writing this post I realized that I’ve been had. Smiley Face is wise beyond her years but you’ll never know it until you actually sit down and really listen to what she’s saying.

    The conversation just evolved into talk of shapes. The conversation started with her wanting a cell phone and I told her she’ll get one when she’s a junior in HS, just like her older siblings.

  1. Joanna Said,

    Hah!

    She IS following in our footsteps. The traces of genuses!!!
    lolz.
    The comment about mama being a perfect circle reminds me of Flatland; which you HAVE to HAVE to HAVE to show to your kiddies.

    Sweetness I’m a polygon. Polygon beats triangles any day.

    Oblongs… that is true. Prodigal Son’s face IS shaped like an oblong.
    Naks!

  1. Marelisa Said,

    Wow, if the 11 year old comes up with this sort of conversation and she’s not the family genius, I don’t even want to know what the family genius comes up with. That shows abstract thinking and the ability to combine seemingly unrelated topics in new and inventive ways. You should definitely encourage her creativity.

  1. Kyddryn Said,

    Brilliant!

    Shade and Sweetwater,
    K

  1. Dette Said,

    OMG that was so cute! I love how much thought she put into it and how excited she was to share it with you.

    I think I even said, “Awww!” out loud when she called Mama a circle.

    :)

  1. What a precious story. I like the part where she says, “Of course. Will you post this on your blog?”. I have a feeling she may want to do a guest post one of these days. :)

  1. Bruno Said,

    smiles from ear to ear - love your post this morning Chris. What a brilliant little girl you have. Wow! I can’t remember if I knew all the different shapes when I was 11. Or maybe I did and I can’t remember, either way, brilliant little girl and you my friend are a proud dad. Enjoy!

  1. I never had more fun than reading this post. She surely is becoming a math prodigy. :)

    Shilpan

  1. @Joanna–Hey Family Genius, you lil sis has you guys all figured out…lol

    @Marelisa–Sometimes I have to really practice tuning them out because all of them have so many crazy thoughts and ideas that I am baffled where they get these things.

    @Barbara Swafford–I’ve actually been asking the older ones to guest posts. They are all good writers in their own rights.

    @Bruno–Thanks, they do show thier brilliance sometimes.

  1. Cool little girl or I should say big girl. She has a great thought process. She is going to have no trouble with those reading comprehension tests.

    I consider myself a triangle. I’m working my way up from the bottom to the top (Maslov’s hierarchy of needs). I figure I’m about halfway there.

  1. This really gave me a giggle. Your kids sound so smart and witty. Though in our house I think I’m the tired one, especially in the morning when I am not my best. My son always says to me “Do you need more sleep mummy?” and when I say yes, he says “But it’s day time we can’t stay in bed.” Mind you, it’s day time only when he wants to get up, whenever that is - 5.30am, 6am, 7am, or 8am.

    I hope my son finds me the perfect circle too.

    Lovely post.

    Kelly

  1. @Karl Staib–It helps that she’s a reader.

    @Kelly–What I don’t understand though is that their sharp wit always seem to go on hibernation whenever they are dealing their mother. When it comes to me however, it’s a badge of honor to out wit dad.

    Oh, yeah our 3 year old also has the same concept of getting up in the morning. I’m scared with this one when he gets to be school aged or teenager. He seems to have all of his other siblings vices but hie wit is sharper than any of them…God Help ME!

  1. Becky Said,

    Your daughter is my hero. I hope my kids grow up to think I’m perfect.

  1. Pinay Jade Said,

    She’s eleven? Wow she is one bright bright kid! I love this post Chris especially when she said that her mom is a circle…because she is perfect. Ahwww that’s so sweet.

    I hope to be a circle too to my own kids someday.

  1. Robin Said,

    I laughed out loud at that one, Chris - thanks. (I used to do a bit of maths teaching and never thought of that “angle”)

  1. RC Said,

    How great! Love it!

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