My son is going through his self-conscious stage at the moment. Anything he says to me is qualified with: "Don't tell anyone I said that."

He usually says it after he utters something clever. For instance, while we were driving to Cork recently he told me not to speed on the motorway - "because I just saw a camera on a pole we just passed. You might get a speeding ticket." Then straight away: "Don't tell anyone I said that."

Another day he gave me full details of the six o'clock news. "Mom," he said, "did you know that a plane has been hijacked in Israel and there was a landslide in Nicaragua." Again he warned me: "Don't tell anyone I said that."

Recently, after going for a swim, he asked if he could have some chips and if we could sit down rather than get a take-away. When we were eating, I asked him if he was ready. "Mom," he explained, "it's just I enjoy this quality time with you." I was amused he knew the words but more amazed that he knew the correct context in which to use them.

It's not that I think he's exceptionally bright (I'm his mother, of course I do) but sometimes it catches me off-guard - the contrast. You see, he's only six and he still loves Barney, whom he never misses. He still gets me to dress him.

Last week I insisted he was old enough to dress himself. I know he can do it but often it's just quicker to do it myself, which is a mistake. Anyway, when I looked he was dressed. "Voila," he said, laughing and delighted with himself.

Again I was amused at the use of the word. I asked him where he'd learnt his French. He said: "Oh, just Barney . . . . But Mom, don't tell anyone I said that."

Are all kids the same or did he inherit this in his genes? Don't tell anyone I said that.