Boom!

For some reason, all of my students (regardless of first language or ethnicity) say "mines" instead of "mine." I've had my current students for THREE YEARS, and our conversations still go something like this:

Me: Turn in your English spirals.
Student: Where's mines?
Me: Mines are things that you put in the ground, and when you step on them, you blow up.
Student: blink, blink
Me: sigh

Many of them now remember to say "mine," but some still don't get it. I would say I have conversations that go this way at least three days a week.

So imagine my surprise when MY OWN SON began to follow this speech pattern. Yes, it's true, MY SON says "mines." The shocking discovery happened something like this:

Nikki: Caleb, may I please have the next turn?
Caleb: NO! It MINES!
Me: Caleb, it's mine not mines.
Caleb: NO!!!! IT MINES!!!!!!! (hysterical meltdown ensues)

Now we know that we have to tell him, "Caleb, SAY mine." (Strangely, my usual line about mines being things you put in the ground has no effect on him.) And Nikki has taken to responding by saying "boom."

I'm sure the author of Eats, Shoots, & Leaves sympathizes with me. I'm thinking everyone else thinks I'm crazy.