Overheard: Being schooled

Meggie is getting settled in her German school. And Laurel will enter the same school at the beginning of next month.

You know, my girlfriends and me at school have a lot of fun together. Even though they are German.

--Meggie

m*: You know, I think all Germans looooooooooooove potatoes. And they all looooooooooooooooove bubbly water. I do not love potatoes, I like rice. And I do not love bubbly water.

h: Yes, I know.

m*: Are potatoes and bubbly water just for Germans?

h: No, lots of people like potatoes and bubbly water.

m*: Hm. No, I think it's just Germans.

A week later at the parents' evening at the school:

Parent: How do you handle the children who won't eat anything?

Teacher 1: Oh, all of the children eat at least something.

Teacher 2: Although we do have one child who will not eat potatoes.

(h looks sheepish and takes a sip of her bubbly water.)

m*: Do you know, I think that "springen" means jump in German.

h: That's true! How did you learn that?

m*: Oh, I was in up in a tree.

h: In a tree?

m*: Yes. And my teacher came running and yelling, "Nicht springen! Nicht springen!"

h: That's "Don't jump."

m*: Yes.

h: So what did you do?

m*: I springened.

h: Laurel, now behave.

l*: No, I'm not!

h: I know you're not. You have to behave.

l*: No, I'm not!

h: Laurel. Be-have.

l*: (running away) I'm not being have! I'm not being have!

h: Hey, look. This European region Little Einsteins DVD has English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, and... ooh! Even Dutch! Did you hear that? Even Dutch.

A: Thaat's veery iintereestiing.

h: Har. Har.

m*: You know, Dad, I think I will learn German much more quickly than you.

A: I'm sure you will, because you're in German school during the day.

m*: That, and plus my brain is young and fresh.

A: That's true.

m*: And yours is, well, oooooooooold.