Drug Free And Clueless

So, recently Bo had the whole, "Cute catch phrase to encourage children who barely learned to talk a few years ago, not to use drugs" campaign at his school.

When I saw the first signs of it trickling home in his backpack and his newfound lingo, I was a little annoyed. Well, that's not entirely true. At first I was like, "What?! No DARE? How on earth will people remember to JUST SAY NO!?"

Then I got a little bugged that my wee baby was being taught about drugs. Just enough to think it was dumb, but not enough to do anything about it. It's one of those "choose your battles" kind of things.

So anyway, I have casually asked Bo here and there about "Red Ribbon Day" or week, or whatever it is. (Man, I remember when ribbons were just average little household items---some scarlet ones had a song written about them, as did a yellow one, once---but now they have all kinds of meaning and are all over the place---wish I'd bought in ribbons before they went public like this) And he pretty much has no clue what it is all about. I have asked him at least 8 different times in about 6 different ways.

The conversations typically go like this:
M: Bo, what's red ribbon week all about?
B: I dunno.
M: You don't know why it's being called red ribbon week at school?
B: Oh yeah! I do! We're supposed to wear red!
M: Okay, but why?
B: Because it's red ribbon week.
M: What does red ribbon week mean?
B: It means, 'wear red'.

No kidding, we've had this conversation about 5 times.

He's such a literal and serious little guy, I just needed to make sure it was all being stored away accurately. Clearly there was no data input that needed to be modified.

Finally, I gave it one last ditch effort. He came home with a red bracelet on and tells me with complete authority, "I need to weah this tomahwow, AND a wed showt. I have to weah a wed showt. Will I have a clean wed showt to weah?"

Nag.

So I seize the opportunity and ask, "Why are you wearing a red shirt?" But the exact same conversation ensues.

I know I am not asking the right questions. I have had this problem with him since I can remember.

I give up and left for the evening.

That night when I got home, I was telling J about my initial annoyance at him being taught about drugs in kindergarten but how it has pretty much become a moot point because Bo totally doesn't get it.
And J says, "Yeah, tonight he told me that red ribbon week was to remind him to be drug free."

I whipped around. "What!? How on earth did you get that out of him."

"I dunno, he showed me a sticker, asked me if I knew what it meant. He told me it meant 'to be drug free'. I asked him what it meant to be drug free and he told me it meant not to smoke cigarettes or drink beer. I thought that was pretty specific and figured you were the one who told him that so I just went with it. But then he said,
'Uh Dad, what does 'FREE' mean?'"

Perhaps I have other things to worry about than my son learning about drugs too young.