What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?

Nov 1st, 2009

by Dan.

Amy’s reading and writing skills have really come on in leaps and bounds recently. It’s even got to the point where Kerry and I have had to stop using the devious parenting trick of spelling out contraband conversations when we don’t want her to hear them, as she’s now able to piece together the letters and decipher the words

In an effort to prolong the possibility of a private conversation just a little bit longer we’ve now switched to using NATO’s phonetic alphabet. So for example “Shall we buy some S.W.E.E.T.S” (aka “candy” for the chronically American) has now become “Shall we buy some Sierra Whiskey Echo Echo Tango Sierra”.

This new system is all well and good, aside from the small fact that now I can’t understand what’s being said either. In fact I’m so bad at processing that particular type of information that I’m pretty sure that Amy will come to grips with it before I do. No doubt the time will come when Amy turns to her mother and says “Let’s put Dad’s Uniform Kilo Uniform Lima Echo Lima Echo in the Bravo India November without telling him”.

To illustrate my ineptitude, in order to write that last sentence I had to look at the entry for the phonetic Alphabet on the mighty Wikipedia nine times. Which wouldn’t be so bad if there weren’t only ten letters. And three of three of them weren’t repeated twice.

But anyway, as I was saying, Amy’s reading and writing has really come on recently. However she’s not quite at the point where she’s started reading for your own pleasure. All that’s about to change however as, inspired by a recent tweet from Dad Who Writes, I have ordered her a new book for her birthday.

Behold its wondrousness!:

This, combined with the Beano, is the very same book that started me off reading all those years ago and I couldn’t be more ecstatic that it’s still in print. As a child I struggled with reading quite a bit, what with my dyslexia and all. But I can still remember the thrill of sitting engrossed in this hallowed tome, eager to consume every last morsel it contained.

And now I get to pass that enthusiasm and joy on to my daughter.

Of course she’ll probably just throw it into a corner and play with the Nintendo DS we’re also buying her. But a father can dream can’t he?

And just because I can’t pass up an opportunity to post this photo, I should also mention that Amy is the only one of my children that inherits a relic from my childhood. About a year ago I gave Evan Larry, my stuffed sheep that shared my bed from birth all the way through to my late teens:

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Posted in: General.
Tagged: Dyslexia · ha Ha Bonk Book · Joke Book · Phonetic alphabet · reading

31 Comments on “What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?”

#1 SingleParentDad
on Nov 1st, 2009 at 10:32 pm

I just realised that you did the Tango Charlie stuff while you were here. I could tell you a very funny story (if I knew any), but I shall save it.

Cool book, may have to have a butchers and introduce the boy to it at some point in his future.
SingleParentDad´s last blog ..Most ridiculous urination award

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:28 am
@SingleParentDad, We were doing the Tango Chalie stuff to hide what we were talking about from you rather than amy
Dan´s last blog ..What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?

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SingleParentDad Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
@Dan, Yeah, right. Like I pay any attention to what you say anyway.
SingleParentDad´s last blog ..What is value for money?

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:34 am
@SingleParentDad, sorry, what was that? Did you say something?
Dan´s last blog ..What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?

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SingleParentDad Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 am
@Dan, Uniform papa, yankee oscar uniform romeo sierra.
SingleParentDad´s last blog ..What is value for money?

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#2 Mark
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 6:39 am

I remember Ha Ha Bonk – oh, I could so make a joke now.

I love it that we can so easily pick up copies of once treasured books – abebooks.co.uk is fantastic for this.

My youngest likes the Dr Zeus / Cat in the Hat books – all still in print. They are a bit ‘love em or hate em’ but the rhyme seems to work well with Dylan.

Mark
Mark´s last blog ..Collections 8 – Moths

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 am
@Mark, I’ve also bought the kids Letters From father Christmas by J R R Tolkin and a australian book called The Magic Pudding, which I loved.

the kids are a little bit too young rfor them at the moment though.
Dan´s last blog ..What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?

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#3 TheMadHouse
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 9:18 am

Hmm, was it a boy thing, as I dont remember this book at all. I will be having a look at it thoughfor MaxiMad
TheMadHouse´s last blog ..A letter to my Boys

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:31 am
@TheMadHouse, I don’t know how popular it was, although the author is pretty well known.

It really inspired me to read though.
Dan´s last blog ..What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?

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#4 Steve
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 9:50 am

What you need to do is to invent your own phonetic alphabet based on comic book heroes. You’ll be fluent in minutes.
Steve´s last blog ..Snoring cure: £3 jab lasts a year – mirror.co.uk

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:31 am
@Steve, you sir are a genius, and I may well be doing that next post.
Dan´s last blog ..What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?

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Barbara Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
@Dan, will Kerry understand?
Barbara´s last blog ..Now I’ve Seen It All

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#5 Laura
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 10:54 am

I remember the Ha Ha Bonk book from school. Will have to get it. My 5 year old has suddenly come on leaps and bounds with her reading.

I’ll have to try out the NATO method too.

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:25 pm
@Laura, year 1 certainly seems to be the age for it. I’m hoping she’s going to start reading her brother bed time stories soon.

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#6 Pa
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 12:13 pm

Yiu have Steve Sykes to thank for that book. He and Leslie gave it to you for Chrismas when you were six I think. It certainly brought your reading on remarkably.

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:26 pm
@Pa, I still remember most of the jokes from it too.

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#7 Arjan
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 5:33 pm

still a great photo

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
@Arjan, possibly the best one we have of Evan, hence my wanting to repost it as much as I can.

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#8 Holmes
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 5:34 pm

That is a great picture. Clearly, he loves Larry.
Holmes´s last blog ..Kids. Making.

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
@Holmes, yes, although he likes the whoopie cushion we got him for his birthday more. That’s m’ boy.

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#9 Erin
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 6:15 pm

My brain hurts after reading that. Also, what a wee dote in that photo.
Erin´s last blog ..And if you threw a (Halloween) party and invited everyone you knew, you would see the biggest gift would be from me…

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Dan Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 pm
@Erin, your brain hurts reading anything doesn’t it?

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#10 Seattledad
on Nov 2nd, 2009 at 11:08 pm

Sierra Whiskey Echo Echo Tango post Dan.

Whatever that means.
Seattledad´s last blog ..A Real Treat

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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:29 pm
@Seattledad, Sweaty post? How dare you sir!
Dan´s last blog ..Pop pop pop pop pop

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#11 Ed
on Nov 3rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm

I have my own little version of the NATO code. It really confuses people who know the correct code and I try to spell things over the phone.
Ed´s last blog ..The Only Difference Between a Rut and a Grave…

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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm
@Ed, Stay tuned for my proposal for an all new NATO code
Dan´s last blog ..Pop pop pop pop pop

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#12 Dad Who Writes
on Nov 3rd, 2009 at 3:43 pm

I think I mentioned on twitter that joke books have been dudelet’s enormous reading breakthrough too. Perhaps I should also look into the Ha Ha Bonk book, just for variety from Horrid Henry’s book of ‘jokes’.
Dad Who Writes´s last blog ..Tiny things I don’t ever want to forget #1

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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:31 pm
@Dad Who Writes, you did, which inspired this post.

I think Horrid Henry would put Amy off due to the masculinity unfortunately.
Dan´s last blog ..Pop pop pop pop pop

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#13 bon bon
on Nov 3rd, 2009 at 8:51 pm

what a sweet photo of evan…
bon bon´s last blog ..dog & whiskey

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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:31 pm
@bon bon, it’s probably my favorite of him.
Dan´s last blog ..Pop pop pop pop pop

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#14 Barbara
on Nov 4th, 2009 at 11:22 pm

I don’t know Ha Ha Bonk but I do know Janet and Allen Ahlberg – I Spy and Peepo are both brilliant books.

Good luck with the new spelling regime. I’ve had enormous trouble trying to work out what people have been saying in their comments.

Quite amusingly though, the girl came up to me the other day and said “please can I have a c, a, q, r, o, d, t?”. We think she might have been asking for a biscuit but at 3 her spelling isn’t so great! I’m sort of worried that even though she can’t read she is already trying to spell things out.
Barbara´s last blog ..Now I’ve Seen It All

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What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?

31 Comments on “What goes “Ha, Ha, Bonk”?”

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