Krazy Straws

Yesterday, one of the little girls in my class was tardy again. She is a very sweet, intelligent little girl, but she is chronically tardy. Often, when she is late, her older sister comes by my room to deliver the tardy slip from the office. Yesterday, the sister told me that they were late because their car had broken down.

So I asked my student if her mom had car problems in the morning a lot, since she is tardy so frequently. She replied, "The car wasn't broken, it's cuz my grandpa is really slow.”

She then added, "Also, it takes him a little while to start the car, because he has to blow into a straw before it will start.”

I have to admit that at this point, I was fighting to suppress a bout of the giggles. I knew exactly what she was talking about with the "straw." But apparently, so did she.

She continued, "It's to make sure that he isn't drinking?”

It's sad, I know I shouldn't be laughing internally. But it's just so unusual to hear thoughts and phrases like that coming from a third grader.

I wonder if she's ever looked for the straw in her Malibu Barbie Corvette.