Tuning out the conversation

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My 5-year-old son, Ryan, was talking to me earlier today while I was trying to get my 2-year-old son ready for a car ride, let the dog outside and take care of other things around the house. I tuned out for a while and then heard him say this:

"So I had the robot with the telescope, but the pig didn't have a tail."
He actually said it like it was a question, and then he waited for me to answer. Uh ...

It turns out it had something to do with putting together a puzzle. I said to him, Oh ... I don't know. Explain it to me again."

Fortunately, you can fake that you've been listening after you tune out a conversation with a kid. Not so easy with your wife.

Or so I've heard. I've never done that.

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