All in the Details

Last night the kids and I were playing charades. It was Aidan's turn, and he immediately started making the motions of vacuuming. So, naturally, I said, "Vacuum."

"No," he said. "It's a verb."

So much for the no-talking rule.

OK, so it's a verb. He continued the vacuum motion, so I said it again -- this time "vacuuming." But again, he shook his head no.

Then he scampered about the living room a bit, making bizarre gyrations with his skinny arms. I was baffled. He then went back to that darned vacuuming motion.

"Do you give up?" he said.

I admitted defeat.

"The word is ... CHORES!" he exclaimed.

"Aidan," I said. "'Chores' is a noun." No wonder I was confused.

"Right," he said. "But I am DOING the chores ... so it's a VERB!"

Lesson learned:
Never argue grammar with a 7-year-old.