Live Long and Learn New Words

Today’s word of the day, courtesy of a preschooler: IRRITATE

No, it’s not what you think.

Me (reading The Loudest Roar): “What do you think the lion is going to do to the monkeys?”

Preschooler: “Irritate them.”

This, of course, led to a whole chorus of “irritate them! Irritate them!”

I later asked the teacher if the first preschooler’s parents read to him a lot. She said yes, and that they take him to the library regularly (he had reported on picking out books about tornadoes). And there you  have it: Evidence that reading aloud to kids, and taking them to the library, increases their vocabulary.

P.S. Another kid gave me the vulcan greeting yesterday. Live long and prosper, little dude.