by Betsy Shaw posted in Parenting

I've been married to my husband, a Brit, for 20 years now, and it's painfully clear we still don't speak the same language. I can't count how many fights we have had due to miscommunication, many times about my being late when he said we should be somewhere at "midday" and I don't accept "midday" to be a definite time -- which is, apparently, noon" To me, "midday" sounds vague. To me, everything Brits say sounds a bit vague:
How is your food" Not bad.
Are you having fun" It's quite enjoyable.
Do you like my dress" I don't find it to be objectionable.
That said, as a father, my husband is a rock-solid loving caregiver and, bonus, an endless source of entertainment for his children -- when he's not embarrassing them by wearing his hand-knit woolen sweater made circa 1973. Some of these "weird things" my husband does could probably be chalked up to his being more mature than the average father -- yes, that's a euphemism for "old" -- but I like to think it's because he's an exotic foreigner. I think my kids would agree that these are weird things their Daddy does and says that the average American daddy may not do or say.
1. Says, "Don't you look smart," when he really means "I like your outfit." This can be a bonus when you are introducing your British fiance to your sister and he tells her sons, "Don't you look smart." She was so flattered, I...