My granddaughter, Lucy, is almost Australian. She loves to watch Bluey, and I enjoy watching with her. (If you don’t know Bluey, check out the show on the Disney Channel, it’s not just for kids.) I have noticed that she has picked up some of the phrases that Bluey and the other characters use on a regular basis.
When we were wrapping her parents’ Christmas gifts and we got to the sides—you know, folding and more folding and holding everything together while you get the tape—she stated, “This is the hard bit.” I thought about that for a moment and agreed that this was the “hard bit.”
If she is not interested in having a conversation about school, her response has become, “Don’t worry about that.” Five is almost a teenager, sometimes. “Don’t get me started” is another favorite dodge, although she might have gotten that from me.
Lucy’s new favorite expression is “Friskuits.” Bluey’s dad, Bandit, uses the expression “Biscuits” in place of more colorful words. We were discussing (yes, you can have a discussion with this five-year-old) her favorite expression, thinking I might include it in my book. She told me “Friskets (Friskits? Friskuits?). I was drilled on pronunciation until I had it right. Don’t be surprised if you see this somewhere in Chapter 12, in place of “Holy moly!”
My thanks to the producers of Bluey. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing Lucy’s laughter in response to something I find funny on the show. It’s going a long way in helping develop her sense of humor beyond her current fascination with jokes about poop. Gotta admit I laugh with her at the fart jokes. Or should I say “fluffies.”