Ben and Hannah in conversation with Myra Lotto, the night in April 1999 Myra was our babysitter

Ben: "when we play this game, adults go last."

Hannah: "I wanna go second.  Ben always goes first. I wanna go second."

Myra: "Ben, we should roll to see who goes first. that's fair."

Hannah: "But I wanna go second!"

*everyone rolls*

Myra: "Hannah, you can go third because you rolled the smallest number."

Hannah: "But I wanna!!!"

Myra: "how does it feel to want?"

Hannah *perplexed*: "not good!"



Myra: "Hannah, we're going to play the 'I want' game.  The rule is that
you cannot say the words 'I want'.  Have you noticed that every sentence
you say starts with the words 'I want'?"

Hannah: "May we please go watch a video?"

Myra: "Yes..."

Hannah: "May we please fold out the hide-a-bed?"

Myra: "Yes..."

Ben: "I want popcorn.  We need popcorn."

Hannah: "I want popcorn!  Popcorn!  Popcorn!!"

Ben: "You lost!  You said 'I want'!"

Hannah: "May you please go downstairs and make us popcorn?"

Document URL: http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/kid-talk-499.html
Last modified: Friday, 16-Apr-1999 15:33:52 EDT