Valentime's Day

Have you ever noticed that a lot of children will say ValentiMe's Day instead of ValentiNe's Day? If you haven't noticed, then I'm telling you, THEY DO. It must be easier to pronounce the M instead of the N. Well, this fact has not escaped my music teacher at school (she's a smart cookie), who integrated spelling the word Valentine out loud with the children and having the children practice pronouncing in together for her lesson this week. It would go a little bit like this:

"Boys and girls, why are we singing songs about 'being my Valentine'?"

All together, with big smiles and sparkling eyes, "Because it's close to Valentime's Day!"

"Yes. Boys and Girls, let's look at this chart together. Spell Valentine with me." She uses and pointer and points to each letter as the children spell it with her. "V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E." Big smiles. "Yes. Very good. Tell me, boys and girls, is there an M in that word?"

"Noooooo." Big smiles.

"You're right. There is no M in the word Valentine. We don't say, 'Val-en-tiiimme'. There is no M. Watch my lips, boys and girls: Vaaalll-ennn-tiiinne. Don't put your lips together at the end of the word. Vaaalll-ennn-tiiinne. Can you try that?"

"Vaaalll-ennn-tiiiMMe."

"No, boys and girls, not 'mmmm', 'nnnn'. Don't put your lips together. Try to say 'nnnn'."

"nnnnnnn."

"Very good. Now let's try to say Vaaalll-ennn-tiiinne."

"Vaaaallll-ennn-tiiiNNe."

"Very good!" She points to a picture of a Valentine Mailbox on the poster. "Boys and girls can you tell me what this is?" Hands shoot up. She calls on a child.

"It's a Valentime Mail Box!!!"

Sigh...