This last week my nephew came home from Ireland. As we all gathered to see him come through the customs door in Salt Lake, it was fun to take an inventory of what kids he had seen and which ones had been born while he was in Ireland for two years.
Sunday was a special dinner is his honor at his parent’s home. My four-year-old grand nephew has become a fun young friend, always ready and waiting to tell me about the adventures in his life. The kids ate before the adults so he was all finished and came over to tell me about all the things happening in his world. He said that his mother had baked a batch of cookies. I wanted to try one, as they looked delicious. I said, “Ben can you get me one of your mother’s cookies.” He looked at my plate that still had quit a bit of food on it and said, “You will have to finish your food before I can get you a cookie.”
When I was all finished I put my paper cup, napkin and plastic serving items on my paper plate and said, “Ben could you please take these paper items over and put it in the garbage can by the fridge.” He looked up at me as serious as he could be and said, “You know, I can’t do everything for you.” WOW kids do say the darnedest things.
My brother who is becoming bald on the top of his head was visiting his three-year-old grand daughter who was rubbing her hand though what little hair he still had left. After a few minutes she turned to him and said, “grandpa why do you have so much “no hair.”
I remember when my little niece was about three, we gathered at daybreak at their home before we left for a trip. I remember that she came out of the bedroom holding her little doll. As she looked out the door she could see that it was getting just a bit lighter minute by minute. She looked up at me and said, “Oh look the morning is growing.”
As I thought about what kids say I remember Art Linkletter who got kids to say the darnedest things by taking and interest in them and then asking insightful questions. I went to Youtube and put in Art Linkletter and up came several shows where he interview kids from the age of 2 to 10. It was fun to hear some of the questions he asked. I thought it might be good to list a few of them and then when you see the kids through that holiday take time to spend for fun time with them as you ask them some interesting questions.
Here are some of the questions that he ask:
- What do you want to do when you grow up?
- How old would you like to be and then you would just stop? Then what would you want to do?
- Do you know what a politician is? What do they do?
- What would you like to do if you were_______________________?
- If you were the teacher at school what would you do?
It is so interesting to see the world through the eyes of kids. Take time to enjoy the little ones in your life and you will hear the darnedest things.
