Little mouths with big ideas

?My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, ?Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?? I mentally polished my halo while I asked, ?No, how are we alike?? You?re both old,” he replied.? ?ANONYMOUS FROM IZQUOTES.COM

If having an elementary-aged kid has taught me anything, it?s that you can?t predict what will come from little mouths. And that honesty isn?t only a virtue, it?s a given.

Just the other day I was driving my younger daughter and her friend somewhere when they struck up an intense conversation about a new business coming to town. Or more specifically, the location of the new business.

Like everyone else around my area, I?ve been hearing discussions about this new store for several months now. I just hadn?t realized it had trickled down into the elementary school. Paraphrasing, this is what I heard coming from the back seat:

Child one: ?I don?t know why they don?t just go into the building that will be empty.?

Child two: ?I know, it?s already there and it?s big enough.?

Child one: ?I mean, they just made this big hole where all the grass was.?

Child two: ?And there?s fence up everywhere around the dirt.?

Child one: ?They shouldn?t do that. I mean, don?t they realize how important the environment is??

If I didn?t think they were serious about this topic, I knew it when I heard two big sighs after their discussion.

I don?t expect to hear all of the elementary drama from my own informant, but I?ve discovered when one child is paired with two or more peers, all bets of secrecy are off. I know things now. Some are school-related and for the most part, fun to hear about. Things like crushes, lunch-line stories, elaborate recess games and tattling woes.

Sometimes they?re sweet and cute, sometimes fun and silly. Sometimes, just way too truthful. But I know that (always) it takes the innocence (and honesty) of a child to remind me of certain things.

Things like?(taken from conversations with an observant 9-year-old.)

1. Age, actually.

?You look 47.?

?But I?m only 42.?

?Oh?I mean 27.?

2. Appearance, actually.

?I got my hair cut, what do you think??

?It looks the same.?

?Well, it?s a little shorter.?

?I?d never get my hair cut like that.?

3. Life, actually.

?I love Christmas,? she says as we pull out of the circle drive on the last day of school before the holiday break.

?I know, me too. You get a long break, and all the lights and the parties and?.?

?No, that?s not what I mean,? she says cutting me off. ?Everybody says Merry Christmas, is smiling and is happy.?

Art Linkletter said, ?Kids say the darndest things.? They also say the truest. She shut me up then so I?ll just borrow what she said.

Merry Christmas (Happy New Year), smile and be happy!

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