Enunciate

To my son Tommy,

Recently you watched a Mighty Jungle episode where a couple of the characters started doing a song.  The majority of the lyrics of this song are "Funky, funky".  That is all well and good and you are actually quite cute when you sing it and swing your hips imitating Bruce and Babu, but that is because I saw the episode and know what you are saying.  The problem is, as a three year old, your tongue-lip-jaw coordination seems to trip up your pronunciation of the word "Funky".  I have had to explain it a couple times to people.  When your mother first heard your rendition and saw your gyrating hips as you sang it, well lets just say she was quite relieved to find out the real words.

I, however, have stopped explaining the whole situation.  If we are out in public and the singing inspiration comes over you, I just let you sing.  I even encourage you to sing faster which doesn't help your enunciation.  When I get strange looks, I simply say "They get this stuff from T.V." or "That is the last time I take him to the massage parlor in China town with me" and start dancing along to the beat.  It is always funny to see them fumbling for their cell phones no doubt to immediately call child services.  I do have the episode recorded on DVR in case a court case ensues.  Otherwise funk them if they can't take a joke.

As you grow up, hopefully you will learn to mumble less, speak up more, and enunciate clearly.  Communication is key.  With clear and concise messages you can usually get what you need.  Until then, we are going to see what type of mileage we can get out of some of your miscommunications.  And if you ever make a kids show for public television, please think of the parents and steer away from words that start with F and have a hard consonant sound soon after.  Great, now I have that song in my head.

Sincerely with love from your dad,
Leo