Nickels and Dimes

Andrew frequently puts his foot in his mouth. We feel bad for always picking on him, but he really brings it on himself. For example, driving home from surprising Kal at Marching Band Camp, Katie and I were talking in the car and Andrew was sitting in the back seat. I mentioned to Katie that it was a shame that Andrew was witnessing us making big deal about Kal's birthday because it wouldn't happen again when he turned 16. Katie in mock surprise yells, "wait! no one's in the car with us are they?" 

Of course, Andrew is sitting in the back of the car with earbuds in and only becomes vaguely aware that he's the subject of the conversation with a, "huh?" Curiosity has the best of him and starts tuning in as I tell Katie that Kallie frequently rolls her eyes at how oblivious her brothers are to the world. I said, "if I had a nickel for every time Kal rolls her eyes at Andrew, I wouldn't have to work anymore." 

To which Andrew pipes in, "that'd only be like $4, dad!" 

Katie: "Andrew, that's still a lot!" Me: "Andrew, how many nickels are in a dollar?" 

Andrew: "Like... a hundred." (this from my honors math 8th-grader) 

Katie and mercilessly hound him over this while he tries to come to the real answer. Just as he gets it his mother asks, "Andrew, how many dimes in a dollar?" 

Since he's a beat behind, his original answer arrives first, "there's twenty!" 

Now he can't live it down at all. Luckily, he figured out there 80 nickels in $4 dollars before we got home. I've already drafted a strongly worded letter to the schoolboard regarding the quality of their mathematics curriculum.