Mandy, five, was a lively child but, as I looked out into the yard, I saw her suddenly jump up, prancing about the yard squealing. I was about to check what had happened when she suddenly stopped, looked at her brother and said something I couldn’t quite hear.
Tim, three, came running in, “Daddy, Mandy said I had a big pooh bum!”
Mandy, came in, “I did not! He put a cockroach down my back. I said he had a big problem.”
I really tried not to laugh, “Tim, it was wrong to put a cockroach down your sister’s back. Mandy didn’t call you a name.”
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Ross's Writing Blog 
annahalford (@anhalf)
November 22, 2012 at 06:04
Eurgh…he was lucky she was so polite ! Perfect capture of child-speak.
Ross Mannell
November 25, 2012 at 16:40
Thanks for the comment.
I had the idea for the story before I had the word to confuse. 🙂
brudberg
November 23, 2012 at 22:32
I am happy Mandy didn’t go from problem to problem solving.
Ross Mannell
November 25, 2012 at 16:41
Thanks for the comment.
Seems they both fell back on the fail safe of telling a parent. 🙂
Susan Mann
November 24, 2012 at 02:40
Great take on the prompt and you captured it perfectly x
Ross Mannell
November 25, 2012 at 16:42
Thanks for the comment.
When, early in my career, I was teaching four and five year old students, it was often fascinating when they tried to explain the world using their limited vocabulary.
Delft
November 24, 2012 at 19:58
I like poo-bum. I can think of a few people who have one 🙂
Ross Mannell
November 25, 2012 at 16:45
Thanks for the comment.
I took the slightly lighter form of pooh-bum thinking a small child my think of Winnie-the-Pooh but I know what most children and adults would read into it. 🙂