I Do It And I Do It

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I used to teach 7th grade (I know, right?). Actually, I enjoyed the teaching part and the kids part (I know, right?) but the rest of it was just... not so much. One of the things I found humorous and annoying and worthy of an eye roll, was the response "I don't know." Former students, you know who you are. Now, don't get me wrong, "I don't know" is a perfectly reasonable response to some questions.

Teacher (me): Which word is the subject of this sentence?
Student: I don't know.

I was okay with that. It let me know that A) I had not yet reached that student and B) the student had not been paying attention.

Where the answer "I don't know" bothers me is in a completely different context.

Teacher (me): Why did you break your friend's pencil?
Student: I don't know.



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See to me, that is unacceptable, and I'd tell them so. If you have performed an action, then you should have had some reason for doing it. I found most of the time, the boys would reply with "I don't know" more often than the girls. It's even more bothersome when it comes from an adult - like my husband. He does it to pick on me and it is usually followed by a look (and a smile and wink).

Me: Honey, why did you stop mowing the lawn?
Hubby (dripping with sweat gulping Gatorade): I don't know (look).

My husband tells me it is a common young male response because most boys are so engrossed in what they are doing they aren't paying attention to what they are thinking, and visa versa. I
didn't believe him until the other day.

We are in the process of potty training the Little Man. (GEEZ!) We've made progress, but for every 2 steps forward, there seems to be 1 step back. I'm comforted by the fact that there are no 4-year-olds I know who wear diapers and Little Man will be 4 in 11 months. Anyway, after a day of wonderful progress and cooperation, I left my Little Man watching TV while I went to cook dinner. A few minutes later I returned to check on him only to find him staring at the TV, standing in a puddle.



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Me: What's this?
Little Man: Peepee.
Me: Where does peepee go?
Little Man: In the potty.
Me: Why did you put the peepee on the floor?
Little Man (with a shrug!): I do it and I do it.

That has been his newest phrase for EVERYTHING! Why did you pour your juice on the table? I do it and I do it. Why did you throw your toy down the stairs? I do it and I do it. The precursor for "I don't know." Sigh, eye roll.

So, I wondered if there were things that I do just because I do. I really can't think of anything I do that doesn't have an underlying motivation or reason. Even though the answer is "because it makes me happy" that is still better than "I don't know." Writing is one of those things for me. What things do you do just because "I do it and I do it?"