Out of the Mouth’s of Babes

The way I see it, taking my kids out in public is kind of like a crap shoot. You never know what they will say or do that will be embarrassing or offensive.  This doesn’t stop us from going out, but it does scare me sometimes!

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So last night we went out to our favorite pizza place for dinner (Yes, I did marinate some steak for carne asada tacos. I forgot it was 2-fer Tuesday. So the Husband will have carne asada tacos for dinner tonight while the girls and I are at church.)

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We were sitting at our table enjoying the pizza goodness when the Big One starts pointing at a table diagonally across from us. We tell her for the 8^th zillion time that it’s rude to point at people.  (she has yet to learn the subtleties of talking about someone without them knowing you are doing it! Don’t judge me; you know you do it too!)

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So after she stops pointing, she announces, “That lady over there looks like the witch from the ‘pig story.’”  I’m not sure what she is talking about, but the Husband and I simultaneously explain to her that we do not point and people, nor do we announce they look like a witch.  If she sees a similarity that’s okay, but that’s the kind of thing she can tell us in the car on the way home.

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We tell her it’s hurtful to say someone looks like a witch, cartoon, monster, etc. Now, if she thinks someone looks like a princess, it’s okay to point it out. It’s a very difficult thing for her to distinguish what is “mean” and what is not.

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After all at the park earlier, some boys said, “Look at that little girl she JUMPED on the swing.” to which the Big One went into a crying tailspin, because she did not “jump” onto the swing. I still don’t know what so bad about what they said, but it bothered the Big One.

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So anyway, the Husband and I hush the Big One.  Now the Big One is feeling guilty for saying something mean and hurtful. And announces, very loudly, “OH NO! I hope she didn’t hear me.” Clearly the child is not understanding the whole concept here.

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I am fairly certain that neither the woman, nor her companions heard the Big One, as they were communicating in sign language and the woman in question clearly was hearing impaired, however that didn’t stop that moment of panic when my heart stopped as I heard what was coming from my child’s mouth this time.