Here’s my life lately:

Dareling One: Knock knock.
Me: Who’s there?
Dareling One: Banana.
Me: Banana who?
Dareling One: Banana apple. Hahahahaha!!! Laugh, Mommy, laugh!
Me: (laughing feebly) Okay…
Dareling One: Knock knock.
Me: Who’s there?
Dareling One: Apple.
Me: Apple who?
Dareling One: Apple orange. Hahahahahahahahhah!! Laugh, Mommy!
Me: Sigh…
Dareling One: Knock knock. Knock knock. KNOCK KNOCK!!!

Yes, Dareling One has entered that golden age of child development where she can grasp the structure of the knock-knock joke, but not the humor. When do kids figure that part out?

Please say soon.


11 comments to “Knocking on my last nerve”

  1. Keira Soleore
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    1
    · March 1st, 2008 at 9:51 pm · Link

    Our version goes like this..

    Wee: Knock, Knock
    I: Who’s there?
    Wee: Nothing!
    I: Nothing who?
    Wee: Nobody (laughter)
    Wee: Mama, now you say “Knock, Knock”



  2. CM
    Comment
    2
    · March 2nd, 2008 at 5:45 am · Link

    LOL.

    I remember when my little brother was going through that phase. I vividly remember the following exchange:

    Older brother: Not I, said the fly.
    Older sister: Not me, said the flea. Now you try it.
    Younger brother: Not us!
    Older brother: Said the what? You have to say what said it. So you could say, “Not us, said the bus.” Try again.
    Younger brother: Oh yeah?
    Older brother. Oh yeah, said the what?
    Younger brother: Oh yeah? said the crab!

    The good thing about having a bossy Dareling #1 is that once she figures it out, she will mercilessly correct Dareling #2 when he starts making knock knock jokes without punchlines. I suspect Dareling #1 will be very good at that….



  3. Marnee Jo
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    3
    · March 2nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm · Link

    I think Dareling #2 and my little person are about the same age, so I’m still looking forward to this phase.

    Perhaps that’s why kids don’t figure out sarcasm until much later, so parents can avoid seriously scarring their children.



  4. Santa
    Comment
    4
    · March 2nd, 2008 at 12:52 pm · Link

    Sorry honey, but it never ends. Even when you buy them a knock-knock book and work on timing….Sigh.

    The best knock-knock joke I ever heard was the poem ‘The Meehoo With An Exactlywatt’ by Shel Silverstein. It echoes the Abbott & Costello ‘Who’s On First’ skit.



  5. Alice Audrey
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    5
    · March 2nd, 2008 at 2:55 pm · Link

    They figure it out?



  6. beverley
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    6
    · March 2nd, 2008 at 4:42 pm · Link

    Oh that’s funny. My nephew went through that stage and it was tortuous on us all. Thank goodness my son doesn’t have the same inclination for those knock knock jokes. It would be one thing if they were funny but alas…



  7. MsHellion
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    7
    · March 3rd, 2008 at 9:24 am · Link

    *ROTFLMAO* Poor Tessa!



  8. terrio
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    8
    · March 3rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm · Link

    My 8 year old still hasn’t figured it out. Wish I could lie but I like you too much to lie.

    I used to do that to my grandmother. She had the patience of a saint.

    Me: Knock Knock
    Nanny: Who’s there?
    Me: Banana
    Nanny: Banana who?
    Me: Knock Knock (picture this for the fifth time)
    Nanny: Who’s there?
    Me: Orange
    Nanny: Orange who?
    Me: Orange you glad I didn’t say banana?

    Yeah, she went along with it every time. Even when I was pushing middle school. Patience of a saint, I tell you.



  9. Jackie Barbosa
    Comment
    9
    · March 3rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm · Link

    I have an 8yo and 6yo who don’t understand it yet, either. Much to the annoyance of their 10yo brother, who probably DID figure it out when he was 5 or 6 (but he’s unusually precocious).

    All I can say is, I feel your pain. Still…



  10. J Perry Stone
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    10
    · March 4th, 2008 at 8:31 pm · Link

    My favorite Knock Knock joke is when you tell two of them, then quick say, “Okay, now you start.”

    The person says, “Knock, knock.”
    Me: “Who’s there?”
    Person: “Uhhhhhh”

    This makes me scream.

    Another good one is to use “ach” as in “ach who?” The punch line, of course, is “Bless you.”



  11. Alyssa Goodnight
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    11
    · March 5th, 2008 at 8:26 am · Link

    I’m not sure how old Dareling One is, but my son is six and he still doesn’t get it. Although, oddly enough, he has made up some pretty good non-knock-knock jokes. Go figure.