“Look at My Teeth, Mommy…"

...Butternut commands me with her smile super WIDE just like she did after they were cleaned at the dentist last week and as she does each day she marks her teeth brushing chore complete. Only—she’s in the backyard showing me her dirty self as she and Rutabaga have engaged in an afternoon of playing Indian. Not sure why she is smiling I do my “that’s nice honey” reply and look to see what Rutabaga is doing.

I was told they were going to be building teepees in the yard with sticks and palm fronds. So far, dead palm fronds look like they have exploded in my yard and there is no teepee in site. Just then Rutabaga, who is digging by the modern-era power pole in our backyard let’s me know that they are living like Indians and that Butternut has just finished brushing her teeth.

I am perplexed and on cue Butternut replies, “I brushed my teeth with dirt, just like the Indians!”

Rutabaga corrects her, “It was SAND!!!”

We have a sandy yard. We live near the ocean. Our dirt is a top layer of dirt that holds in the St. Augustine grass with dirty sand underneath. And with that is what my precocious little 6 year old has practiced her dental hygiene just as she was told at the dentist. I clearly missed the mention of dirt or sand in those instructions.

I have no idea how they equated Indians with exploded palm frond teepees and teeth-sand-paste.