Tuesday, September 23, 2008

A 4 yr. old's thoughts......

Hope is going through a phase. If you are a parent, you know this phase (At least I hope I'm not the only one). The one where your kid says whatever pops into their head, like, "Goodbye Mr. Potato Head" to the police officer.

I have been running errands like crazy lately (Lowes, electrical supply store, lumber store, etc) and these outings always give Hope multiple opportunities to say whatever is on her mind to whomever she meets.

She asked one guy if the mole on his face was a heart ("howt").
She told a man that he looked like Spiderman with a beard.
To the guy working at Lowe's she said, "You have a ring, so that means you can kiss on the lips."
She asked the lady (?) at Walmart if she (he?) was a man or a lady.
She told the man at the electrical supply store, "You are a beautiful boy."
She told our realtor, "You're a boy, so you have cooties."

I am constantly "shhh"-ing her, telling her to whisper her thoughts to me instead. But apparently she keeps forgetting.

There is a little girl, 6 years old, who goes to physical therapy with Ava, who was born with a facial deformity. I panicked when I saw Hope across the room last week, in her face, staring, asking questions. Not having any idea what to say, I ran over and apologized to her and her mother for the intrusion. The mom said, "I don't mind at all. She is just asking innocent questions. We welcome innocent questions."

So I sat down with Hope and we talked to the little girl about why one of her eyes was much smaller and lower than the other, why she didn't have a left ear and why only one of her eyes moved back and forth (she had a glass eye, which they called a "teddy bear eye"). My anxiety began to diminish as the little girl and her mother cheerfully answered all of our (Hope's) questions. Pretty soon, Hope was touching the girl's face, saying, "Your eye is so cute", and "You have beautiful hair". And pretty soon the two girls were playing together as if they had always been the best of friends.

And as I'm typing up this post, John just told me that my nephew, Sebastian, same age as Hope, said to him tonight, "Uncle John, I don't like you!!" I guess if you ever want an honest opinion.....ask a 4 yr. old!

20 comments:

June Berger said...

Gotta love it. Out of the mouth of babes. Such curiousity.

markay714 said...

You're scaring me. My new little one four and I'm a rookie! I'm hyperventilating a little bit as I type....maybe its good that she doesn't speak English yet.

orphans4me said...

Kids!!
Joy

Jester 6 said...

My 6 year old likes to point at everyone. . .then she likes to say (very loud) if she thinks the person is pretty or NOT. She also doesn't do this when the person is across the room. Usually it is when they are walking right by us and I know they have to hear.

Dalene said...

Oh my oh my.

But yet, I love the story about the girl at therapy.

My little man is the same way. Strikes fear in the heart. Bad news. He's six and still doing it.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a little Sara Baracuda in the making. We never know how much is DNA and what part is learned. Your Mexican Monitor, FROM, the Mexican Point of View, Opa

Christina said...

Charissa this post made me laugh! I will never forget an experience I had in a line at Target.  My daughter was chatting away. Making observations, telling stories, going on and on....to anyone in the closest proximity that would listen, and the woman in front of us in line turned around and said "Let me guess, she's a four year old, right?"  So, I do not think it is just you...

Christina S.(RR)
(who is LOVING your new blog about country life the Urban way!)

Tracie said...

Oh, I love this post!

kirsten said...

I think all of your kids went through this phase in a more verbal way, it makes for good stories...I miss your kids:(

Anonymous said...

I had to tell my oldest (who is now 6 and much better about it) that just because it pops into your head, does NOT mean it should pop right out of your mouth. If you have a question about something/someone, ask me when we are in the car.

Never forget the day we were all at the table in the restaurant and a girl walks by, my nephew said in a very loud voice, "that girl has a big butt". EVERYONE in the restaurant heard it.

Jan

Anonymous said...

I had to tell my oldest (who is now 6 and much better about it) that just because it pops into your head, does NOT mean it should pop right out of your mouth. If you have a question about something/someone, ask me when we are in the car.

Never forget the day we were all at the table in the restaurant and a girl walks by, my nephew said in a very loud voice, "that girl has a big butt". EVERYONE in the restaurant heard it.

Jan

Anonymous said...

Funny, yet fear invoking at the same time.

jennifer... said...

Did Jude happen to be 4 when he raised his hand to ask the speaking boy scout what the red marks were all over his face?

Michelle said...

She is a hoot!

Deb D. said...

I had a 4-year old tell me I had a fat tummy. True. Couldn't be offended. It was said with innocent observation. I love them for it. Also because it is that same spontaneity that "allows" them to freely give affection and express their love.

Oh, while my 4X-ish something mind has a thought pop into it. . . any update on the dog? :-)

Christina said...

Kids are definately honest that is FOR SURE...I know when my girls were younger they didnt' care about peoples feelings and Brittany big thing was to tell people they had bad breath! LOL

Rachel said...

That is adorable! I especially love the story about the little girl in Ava's class....so precious! When I was very small--maybe 2 or 3 I saw some people with strange looking hair in a restaurant and asked my parents very loudly "Why do those people look like roosters?" I am sure the whole restaurant heard...now I wonder what my kids will come up with someday...kids do say the cutest things.

WheresMyAngels said...

Aysha is always asking things and yes she is four. Last night she asked to pray about the floods and then she asked if the people who drowned could breath :(

So far she hasn't asked any awful questions of people.

I'm so glad that the mother let hope ask her questions. I actually try not to deter my young children asking. People know that they will. If we try to move them away from the situation, they will see the other person as "different" and "bad". I will insert that it isn't always polite to ask personal questions, but I don't try to take the kids out of the situation, because I know it will upset both parties. I had lots of kids ask why my girls talked funny, I answered them as best as I could and then they went back to playing with them.

WheresMyAngels said...

Oh forgot to add that the "You have a ring, so that means you can kiss on the lips." was so priceless! I about fell off my chair!

Dolores said...

I love 4-year-olds, they're the greatest!