Yesterday morning, I had an epiphany.

Over the past few months, the kids have been really into dinosaurs – in particular the Tyrannosaurus Rex. However, they’ve also been having a rather inexplicable argument over the good old T-Rex we all know and love. Rather than trying to explain it, let me give you an example.

The other day, they were playing with the trains, and N picked up a plastic dinosaur. “Roar! Tyrannosaurus Rex!”

C immediately became upset. “No! It’s not a Tyrannosaurus Rex! It’s a Tyrannosaurus Rex!”

N responded by holding it up “Tyrannosaurus Rex! Tyrannosaurus Rex!”

C: “No, no, no!”

What the heck? Where’s the argument? Why the upset? For months, it’s eluded me. I have tried everything. I’ve told C not to yell at his brother. I’ve corrected N when he was holding the wrong dinosaur. I’ve tried joking (”no, that’s not a tyrannosaurus rex, I’m a tyrannosaurus rex!”). No luck.

Until yesterday morning, when, for some reason, my ears actually heard what N has been saying. All this time, he hasn’t been saying “tyrannosaurus rex”, he’s been saying “dinosaurus rex”.

I have to admit it. I kind of like that name better.