Zacharie and CharlieMy family, like any other, has its own weird language.

As my children have learned to speak, they have adopted their own way of saying things. For the longest time, Charlie called his big brother “Zakky.” He was just unable to get that other syllable out and call him “Zacharie.” The day he finally fully pronounced the name was bittersweet. We cheered his grown up achievement, and lamented the loss of baby talk.

So it is with that kind of melancholy that we often don’t correct the words kids mispronounce in our family. That silly extra vowel or consonant becomes a unique character trait we want to save and bottle forever.

Thankfully, our kids’ mispronunciations haven’t gone as extreme as the Dump Truck incident that Whit Honea hilariously experienced.

Check that, there was the time my 3-year-old came home from preschool and decided to delight us with a rendition of Ring Around The Rosie.

Here are some other famous mispronunciations my kids serve up. Some they’ve grown out of, some they still say (even at 6 and nearly 9) because we refuse to correct them.

Ho Towel

Two distinct words. Ho. Towel. This one started a few years ago when my parents visited and stayed at a hotel with a pool. “Me want to go to the ho towel,” Charlie would ask. Ever since, when we book a vacation he will ask to stay at a “ho towel” with a pool.

Gam

Charlie loves jam, but you’d be forgiven if you thought he was a leg man. When asking for his favorite sandwich, he’ll wish for “peanut butter and gam.” Hard g, just like in GIF.

Spicabonie

Despicable Me is one of our family’s favorite films, but around here it is called Spicabonie. The minions are Spicabonies, Gru is Spicabonie, the movie is Spicabonie. It is all encompassing. Best part? Zacharie started this before Charlie could talk and it is now an accepted pronounciation in our family.

Dark Vader

Also known as Darf Vader or Dart Vader, but never Darth Vader.

Umvellium Vulcan

I don’t know why Zacharie took something simple to pronounce and made it more difficult, but he did.

Bagina

I don’t think we’re the only ones who have heard this mispronunciation, but hey—at least I’m trying to teach my kids the right names for body parts.

All these words came flooding back to me as Zacharie told me about a new book he was reading. He’s right into Zac Powers lately, and was really looking forward to reading the “Whore House” book. I couldn’t tell him it was actually pronounced Horror.

I’m a terrible parent (fun at :41 below)

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