May 3, 2007

• Need to Know

  Children are on a need-to-know basis. Seriously, if your child asks you about the birds and the bees, you’re going to give her a far simpler answer when she’s three than when she’s eight or twelve. They just don’t need to know everything when they’re that little. And if you’re a parent who feels full disclosure at any age is the way to go, well…embarrassment in public *will* ensue. A three-year-old does not have the discretion that a young adult has. Where am I going with this?

  Well, apparently John employed the need-to-know rule a bit sparingly last week. It happened while they were driving somewhere together. When we travel, my three-year-old loves to ask about what she sees, and exclaims loudly and with excitement when something gets her attention. This time, they were passing Fantasy Warehouse. You know what I’m talking about–those places that crop up in semi-industrial areas of town until the local conservatives pray them down? Well, Fantasy Warehouse has lots of pretty lights, and a bright purple awning surrounding it’s peremeter. “What’s that, Daddy? What’s that?” John said the first thing that came to mind, “That’s where naughty people go.” She appeared to accept that and moved on to the next exciting view out her window. As you can imagine, a three-year-old only retains the parts that make sense to them.

  Later, we were all on our way home from church Wednesday night and everybody was sleepy. AK was watching LeapFrog’s Numbers DVD, and the twins were asleep when suddenly she sat up in her chair and pointed, “Mommy, look! That’s where naughty people go! We don’t do that, icky!”

  We had just passed a local ice cream shop with a lovely bright purple awning.

  Perhaps she was just a bit young for that “lesson”. On the other hand, it *was* an ice cream shop. Perhaps naughty people do go there, after all.

  • 10:41 am
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