You know the old saying, little pitchers have big ears? Well, they also have big eyes and big brains and big mouths. I looked that saying up this morning because it kept coming to mind after my experience Saturday night. It basically means that people should be careful what they say around children. The saying comes from the resemblence of the ear to the handle of a pitcher.
Saturday night in the kitchen at my mother's house, I was busy doing something at the sink and listening to my son-in-law proudly talking about how my youngest granddaughter (7) told him the other night how she would be able to read the book he was reading by the end of the year. He's currently working on a 500+page book of the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. Apparently, her teacher had told the class that by the end of this year, they would be able to read anything their parents could read.
Saturday night in the kitchen at my mother's house, I was busy doing something at the sink and listening to my son-in-law proudly talking about how my youngest granddaughter (7) told him the other night how she would be able to read the book he was reading by the end of the year. He's currently working on a 500+page book of the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. Apparently, her teacher had told the class that by the end of this year, they would be able to read anything their parents could read.
Well, the book I am currently reading was laying on the bar. It is the autobiography of Saul Hudson, or "Slash" for those of you familiar with Guns N Roses (my daughter had a huge crush on Slash when she was a teen so I wanted to read the book). I was busily slicing bell peppers and onions and heard the Peanut say "what's this word?" and my SIL answered "weed". Apparently she pointed to another word and I heard him say "bust". "weed bust". I whipped around and realized the Peanut had the book "Slash" open in front of her and she was intently trying to read it. Holy Smokes! I've read enough of the book to be thankful that she wasn't pointing to a four letter word that begins with "f", and I don't mean food.
I quickly said, "Peanut, let me find you a better book to read" and went running down the hall to my father's closet that also serves as a library. I came back with The Adventures of Peter Rabbit and The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh. We went and sat on the couch and she started reading Peter Rabbit to me.
Did you know that in something like the third paragraph of that story the momma rabbit is warning the kiddy rabbits not to go into a certain garden because their daddy did and had an "accident" and is being baked in a pie?!? Damn! I didn't remember that AT ALL! I don't want my little Peanut reading about traumatized little rabbits whose dad was eaten in a pie!
About that time, Dad said supper was ready so we put the book down. Thank goodness for small favors, huh?
Anyway, the whole Peter Rabbit thing was just an aside because it freaked me out just about as much as her saying "weed bust". But the real moral of the story is, not only do you have to be careful about what you SAY around children, but be careful of what you leave lying around when they are in an extra hungry mood for reading material.
I can just hear the little Peanut in class today asking her teacher, "What is a weed bust? I was reading my Grandy's book this weekend..."
1 comment:
HA!!!
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