You Are Correct!

The boys and I were driving in the car a couple of days ago, and as usual they were jabbering over each other. Sam said he had to memorize the meaning of the word "Autobiography" for school. I explained that an autobiography is a book you write about yourself. It has to be YOU as the author because if someone else writes about you, it becomes a biography, not an autobiography.

Sam said he needed more than one definition of the word for the test.

Irritably I said, but that's the definition. There's no way to make up other definitions. That's it.

Sam said, "No, I need a definition the teacher already told me. Something about narrative....maybe? Something like that. She told me but I can't remember."

I was about to roll my eyes at the way it was becoming unecessarily complicated. I said, "Sam. An autobiography is when you write about yourself. Period."

Benny, who had obviously been making an effort to wait for a break in the conversation so as not to interuppt, saw a chance to speak. And he said, "You could also call it a Personal Narrative."

Sam said, "That's it! That's the one the teacher wants us to remember."

Well. What a humbling moment for Impatient Mom. Look at us. One of us has a master's degree in writing, has studied words, definitions, and book genres. One of us in third grade and is nine years old. But who paid attention, and who remembered what he was taught, and who came up with a Nail-It-On-The-Head, Slam-Dunk definition of an autobiography?

"A Personal Narrative."


Having kids can be many things, and sometimes, it's humbling. This was one of those times!