word rules

We have a lot of rules in our house, and lately, it seems, a lot of the rules revolve around words we can and cannot say and how we can or cannot say them. For example, we can say fine in a nice tone, such as in, "I am doing fine today!" but we cannot say fine when we are frustrated or exasperated. Zoey likes to remind me when I break the rules, too.

This morning Brian said, "That's weird..." when Zoey immediately cut him off and exclaimed, "You can't say that, Daddy!" He didn't know what he had said wrong, so I jumped in to remind Zoey we can say something is weird but not someone. She accepted my explanation and went on playing.

Hours later Zoey came to tell me something, paused to think, sighed, and walked away saying, "Mommy, all those word rules are confusing..."

Poor girl.