Being a preschool teacher I am blessed to hear many things "out of the mouths of babes." Usually I am able to laugh inwardly, in order to spare the feelings of these sweetly honest kids. However there are occasions when I am forced to run to the bathroom to "wash my hands" (wink-wink) and laugh out loud. This is the story of one such experience. Authors note-these are direct quotes, I wrote them down. Enjoy....
Backstory-I was sitting at the art table working with another child on an art project when I overheard two children in the dramatic play center playing house......
Boy Child: "I am making dinner."
Girl Child: "What are you making."
Boy Child: "Pizza."
Girl Child: "OK"
Boy Child: (yelling) "I DO EVERYTHING IN THIS HOUSE!"
Girl Child: No verbal response, look of complete confusion on her face.
Boy Child: (still yelling) "I CLEAN THE HOUSE, I MAKE DINNER, I TAKE CARE OF ALL THESE KIDS AND YOU DO NOTHING!"
Girl Child: Still no verbal response, continued look of confusion on face with an added touch of fear in her eyes.
Boy Child: (yes, still yelling) "CAN'T YOU HELP ME?!! (prolonged and highly exasperated sigh)
Girl Child: Looks to me for reassurance that what she has just experienced was as weird as she thinks it is.
Me: I smile reassuringly and say "Let's remember to use kind words with our friends." This is, of course, a phrase learned on the first day in "Standard Phraseology For the Preschool Teacher 101."
I ran to the bathroom with a sudden glue-on-hands emergency and laughed for at least 3 minutes. After which I grabbed my handy notebook and pen to record the experience for my posterity-or at least my blog.
The truth is I was never really able to look at "boy child's" parents in quite the same way after that day. I had a new insight into their home life that could not be undone. I never judged them-because let's get honest-I can't even count the number of times I had yelled similar and undoubtedly worse things to the people in my life. I just love knowing that other people are as fallible as I am.
Note to the reader: Do not fear, this was certainly NOT your child.
13 Years ago today....
2 months ago
3 comments:
Dawn, that was hilarious. Im glad I found your blog, hope you dont mind me reading it. Can I pass it on to my family?
Dawn, was this child's name Andrew? Just wondering
Well, Alisa DID pass it on to the family. I pretty much had to go wash my hands AND face after reading this one (nudge nudge). All I have to say is: DON'T YOU EVER HELP POST COMMENTS ANYMORE? DO I HAVE TO DO ALL THE COMMENTING AROUND HERE?
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