Ryan, Debi, and Toren Cragun's Blog

Ever since Toren learned to curse (with two particular words – sh*t and d*mn), we’ve been trying to teach him that he probably shouldn’t say those words, at least not in public since some people will take offense.  It looks like the lessons are paying off.  The other day while she was driving, Toren piped up from his car seat and say, “Mom, little boys don’t say sh*t.  Big boys say sh*t.”  Close enough!  I’m calling that a win.

Toren also has a replacement curse word, “Candy garbage.”  Debi encouraged him to say “garbage” instead of one of his other favorites; Toren added “candy” to it.  Now he says it all the time.

During my spring break I went to the Cherokee Nation to volunteer with students.  During that trip we had several people come talk to us about Cherokee culture.  One of those speakers said something that stuck with me.  He explained that there is no word in Cherokee that translates into the word “love.”  He said the close there is to a translation is a word that basically means, “I’m stingy with your existence.”  I really like this idea.  Basically they think of those they really care about as people they do not want to lose.  They also want to be around them.  In short, they are “stingy” with that person’s existence.  I like that better than “love.”

Toren has tried this a few times now.  We’re getting ready to go somewhere and he doesn’t want to go.  To get out of going he’ll say, “I don’t want to go.  My sick.”

Toren’s thoughts don’t always flow together perfectly.  We let him watch Fabulous Four one night and here’s what he said when it was over, “My like it.  Now my go to bed.  My sleep naked.”

Toren has already figured out how to use the word love to his advantage.  Debi had to leave one day and, of course, Toren didn’t want her to.  So he ran to her and said, “Mommy, don’t leave.  My love you.”