Show vs. Tell, in Which My Son Teaches Me About Writing

— March 24, 2010 (1 comments)
Writers are always told, "Show, don't tell." The other day, one of my 3-year-old boys gave me an object lesson on why that is:
DADDY: Nathan, that was naughty. You're on a timeout.

NATHAN sits on the step and cries for like an hour.*

N: Timeout over?

D: Your timeout will be over when you're quiet.

Nathan stops screaming for an entire breath.

N: Nathan's quiet already!

D: If you have to tell me you're quiet, you're not quiet.


But you know, sometimes it's okay to tell too.

DADDY: What are you eating, Nathan?

Nathan opens his mouth as wide as he can.

D (holding stomach): Thanks.

* Not actually an hour.

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1 comment:

  1. Susan Kaye QuinnMarch 25, 2010 at 1:15:00 AM GMT+7

    Hahahaha! No, please don't show us the contents inside! :)

    I wish I could get my boys to do a whole lot more telling:

    Me: "What did you do in school today?"
    Them: "Nothing."

    Me: "Really? Nothing at all?"

    Them: "Well, we had lunch."

    Sigh.

    ReplyDelete

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