--- title: «Where's your dad?»: questions and cruel jokes — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: ««Where's your dad?»: questions and cruel jokes», a lesson of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: Kids ask about families all the time. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/) / [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/) / «Where's your dad?»: questions and cru… # «Where's your dad?»: questions and cruel jokes Lesson 524 of the everyday course of Mova's primary school: 52 sentences, each with its syntax tree and pragmatics. The lessons are written for Mova, and their agreed trees are part of Mova corpus 0.4 (CC BY-SA 4.0). How Mova does on its tests: [the lesson at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/0/) — Kids ask about families all the time. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/1/) — Some ask because they're curious; some say things to hurt. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/2/) — On Father's Day a boy yells across the playground, «Oi Corey, where's your dad then? - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/3/) — Did he do a runner?» («do a runner» = run off, leave without a word). - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/4/) — Another kid adds, «No dad, massive L» («L» means a loss, a fail). - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/5/) — A few laugh. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/6/) — Corey's face burns. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/7/) — He wants to punch him, but he walks off and tells Mr Hassan, who deals with it that afternoon. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/8/) — Jokes about someone's family are bullying, and the one being unkind is the joker, never the kid without a dad. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/10/) — A girl finds out Sienna-Rae is in foster care and says, «Your own mum didn't want you.» Sienna-Rae runs to the toilets and cries. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/11/) — It's cruel, and it isn't true: children go into care because parents can't cope or can't keep them safe, not because the child isn't wanted. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/12/) — Her teacher hears about it straight away and the girl's parents are called in. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/13/) — Minnie, who is adopted, gets told, «Your real mum gave you away.» She doesn't even blink: «My real mum is at home making my tea.» A kid sneers at Jamal, «Your dad's a jailbird!» (an old word for someone in prison). - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/14/) — Kids laugh, and Jamal wants to cry. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/15/) — He tells his teacher the next day, and the school calls a charity that helps kids with a parent in prison. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/16/) — Blunt questions aren't always meant to hurt, but you still don't owe an answer. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/17/) — «Why you live with your grandma? - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/18/) — Your parents dead or somethin'?» a kid asks Darius. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/19/) — «None of your business, bruh,» he says («bruh» = bro, mate). - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/20/) — That's a fair answer. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/21/) — Kids keep asking Ffion why her parents split. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/22/) — «Dunno,» she says every time. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/23/) — She does know. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/24/) — Some things are private, and keeping them private isn't lying to anyone. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/25/) — Some teasing is about things a child can't help. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/26/) — Kids say Holly-Mae smells. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/27/) — Sometimes she does, because the washing machine has been broken for a month and there's no money to fix it. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/28/) — She feels ashamed. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/29/) — She tells her teacher, quietly, and the school washes her uniform in the school machine twice a week; nobody else knows. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/30/) — A kid says to Elijah, «That's weird, you can't have two dads.» «Well, I do. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/31/) — Deal with it.» Some families have two dads or two mums, and that's normal. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/32/) — A boy says something rude about Aziza's mum's headscarf. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/33/) — Aziza goes quiet. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/34/) — Mocking someone's religion or clothes is bullying, and her teacher makes sure it stops. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/35/) — At pick-up, Liam-Jay's mum is stumbling and slurring. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/37/) — Liam-Jay is mortified, which means so embarrassed he wants to vanish. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/38/) — It's not his fault, and he's not alone: he can tell a teacher, or call Childline for free on 0800 1111. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/39/) — Not every tease needs a teacher, though. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/42/) — Humour can stop small teasing; if it keeps going, or it's about your family, tell an adult. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/43/) — Some children ask about other families because they're curious; some say things to hurt. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/44/) — Jokes and cruel comments about someone's family are bullying. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/45/) — Walking away and telling a teacher is smarter than hitting back; schools must deal with bullying. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/46/) — Children go into care because parents can't cope or can't keep them safe, not because the child isn't wanted. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/47/) — Adoptive parents are real parents; a calm, proud answer can stop a cruel comment. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/48/) — A parent's mistakes, like being in prison, are not the child's fault or the child's shame. - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/49/) — You don't owe anyone an answer about your family; «None of your business» or «Dunno» is allowed, and keeping something private isn't lying. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/50/) — Teasing about things a child can't help, like money or a broken washing machine, is cruel; schools can help quietly. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/51/) — Some families have two dads or two mums, and that is normal. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/52/) — Mocking someone's religion or clothes, like a headscarf, is bullying. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/53/) — A child whose parent drinks too much is not to blame; they can tell a teacher or call Childline for free on 0800 1111. - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/54/) — Humour can stop small teasing, but if it keeps going or is about family, tell an adult. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/524-wheres-your-dad-questions-and-cruel-jokes/55/) — «Do a runner» means run off, «L» means a loss, «jailbird» is an old word for a prisoner, «bruh» means bro, «mardy» means sulky, «steaming» is Scots slang for drunk, and «mortified» means terribly embarrassed. - ← previous: [Kinship care: living with Gran or an aunt](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/523-kinship-care-living-with-gran-or-an-aunt/) - next →: [Friends who get it](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/525-friends-who-get-it/) - ↑ back to [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/)