cringing listening to my kids

[SlackRopeWalker]

Both the DDs (9 and 5) had friends round to play, and they both turned into out-of-control showoffs. I heard both friends commenting 'You're so funny!'

Am I being unduly negative to think that this comment actually translates as 'You're being a bit weird and I'm not sure what to do?'

Not always, not with kids that young.

When my son says his friends are funny it's the highest sort of compliment.

I think the friends probably meant it... many of them behave that way when they have an audience.

They don't do irony or sarcasm until full blown teens. Don't worry.

The friends probably do find them amusing. Behaviour that we, as adults, find tiresome, over-exuberant and irritating seems to be very funny to children of that age!

I think they mean what they say.

BTW AlpacaLypse

• my nephew is 7 - and he does sarcasm.

I didn't exactly think it was sarcasm, more an attempt to find an appropriate response! But thank you all, I really hope you're right. And will try not to be too dampening when my children variously strip naked and dance, and are unstoppable in efforts at silly voices and 'crazy' humour.

At five or nine if one of my friends did a silly dance or put on a funny voice I would find that hilarious.

At five or nine if one of my friends did a silly dance or put on a funny voice I would find that hilarious.

Now I'm imagining you said that twice to try out silly voices, pushpant