Despite our history, we still enjoy tapping on the table. In fact, lately I’ve been experimenting with the power of suggestion.

This past Sunday, I was really hoping to take a nap. The weather was absolutely perfect for stretching out in the hammock and letting the world slip by. The boys, however, weren’t displaying even the slightest signs of being sleepy. As lunch drew to a close, I found myself frantically searching for some way of getting to that hammock.

I tapped out a beat on the kitchen table. It wasn’t really complicated, but it got their attention.  After I’d been through it a few times, I interrupted it to give a little chant of “Nap, Nap, Nap,” and then I continued.

They giggled. The next time it came around, I leaned in towards C and pointed each time I said “Nap.”

He giggled some more. The next time, instead of saying anything, I pointed at him. He caught the beat and said “Nap, Nap, Nap” in time. Then he started pounding out his own little rhythm on the table.

The next time the “Nap”s came around I pointed at N.

He laughed, shook his head, and said “No, No, No”

Then they both collapsed laughing.

So much for my subliminal advertising.