Petey Can Spell

As promised in a previous post - Petey knows how to spell!!

We discovered early in Petey's life with us that he knew the word "out". The only problem is he interpreted the word to mean it was time to go outside whenever he heard that word. It has already been established how difficult it is to dissuade Petey when he takes a notion to do something. Whenever he heard the word "out" in whatever context he insisted on being allowed to go outside. What is the problem? It is amazing the number of times the word "out" comes up in every day conversation -

• Did you take the trash out?
• I turned the lights out.
• We are out of tea.
• Is it raining outside?
• I can't get the stain out.
• Out of the mouths of babes.
  

Get the picture? It was getting as bad as 9:00 pm around here. My very fine idea, was to begin to spell the word much like the parents of toddlers do when they don't want their child to understand what is being said. For instance, rather than saying it is nap time, the parent would say it is N-A-P time. I was quite pleased with my very fine idea until one day I was saying something about O-U-T and Petey ran to the back door!!

As has been noted in previous posts, we tested our theory. It wasn't 9:00 pm, but he was at the back door. Over the next few days we would spell "out" and Petey was at the back door like lightening! So much for my very fine idea.

John began to call Petey's excursions from the house "runs". When we thought it was time for Petey to go outside we started saying "out for a run", and over time shortened it to "run". We don't use that word in every day conversation nearly as much. So far it has worked pretty W-E-L-L.