Probably out of hearing Dennis and I do it, Chloe has started calling my father-in-law (her grandfather), “Dad”. It’s embarrassing when we go out because he’s 73 and she calls me “momma” and, well, I get the “gold-digger” looks from strangers. Not that what they think matters, unless one of them is a social worker. Still, I’m ok with it for now. How much can a four-year-old understand about family role models when we confuse her with our background conversations?

As long as she doesn’t start calling Dennis “dumb fuck”, mocking her grandfather, I’m not going to correct her yet.