Go Ask Dad's ABCs: U-V-W-X-Y-Z

U is for unicorn, the mythical creature, which my 6-year-old daughter hopes to find one day, possibly at the end of a rainbow.

V is for Velociraptor, my children’s favorite dinosaur. They know that scientists now believe these ancient animals had more in common with birds than lizards. My 8-year-old and I saw a red-tailed hawk drop from the sky like a knife to snatch a pigeon in mid-flight. Who needs Jurassic Park?

W is for wisdom. A friend and fellow dad spoke of our “limits of perception,” meaning that there is always more than we can know, especially when it comes to the thoughts and beliefs of others, so it is advisable to proceed with humility whenever we encounter a difference of opinion. We might just learn something.

X is for xiphactinus, otherwise known as the x-fish. There are not many words that start with the letter X, but a 15-foot, gnarly predator that lived millions of years ago is more interesting, say, than a xylophone.

Y is for yakker, which refers not to a verbose child (like my unicorn-loving 6-year-old), but rather is slang for a curveball. This spring, I have renewed my efforts to instill the language of baseball in my brood, words like beanball, dinger and fungo. They are more interested in concession items, like Dip ‘n’ Dots.

Z is for zort. It can refer to a big-ear, green character in World of Warcraft or an AI-generated trading app for cryptocurrency. Either of which seems out of this world to me. But my oldest occasionally gets so tickled that he snorts when he laughs, a delightful sound that we call a "zort,” and, though his first zit showcases that he is on the cusp of being a teenager, I hope he never becomes too snarling or self-conscious to abandon himself to laughter. Herein lies true wisdom.