Friday, April 07, 2006
Questions from a 5-year Old .... Help Me, Please
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Technically he's not five yet. Give him one more week. However, he has me perplexed. I have become accustomed to his frequent, rapid-fire inquisitions, but this week he decided to take things to a whole new level. A level I'm not prepared for, evidently.
Example 1
CJ: Mommy, what are clouds for?
Me: Well, the clouds are made of water vapor and the
clouds make rain.
CJ: I know that. But what are they for when it is not
raining? What are they doing up in the sky on a
sunny day?
Example 2 (watching Chronicles of Narnia for the 3rd time)
CJ: Mommy, where are those people that have to run from the planes and bombs?
Me(naively unaware of the consequences of my next response): They were in a country that was in a war.
CJ: What is war?
Me (horrified): Well, war is when two or more countries disagree about something and they aren't able to talk it out. They get really angry at each other and send their soldiers away in airplanes and tanks to fight over it.
CJ: But Mommy, you say it is ugly for kids to fight. Can I fight when I am a man like Ed and Repa?
Me: (more horrified): No, not exactly, sweetheart. If you are a soldier when you are a man and your country is at war, you may have to fight. But if you're not a soldier and we're not at war, then you shouldn't fight. (Silently thanking God that Ed is not here to argue this point with me!)
CJ: But Mommy, why don't the soldier mans talk to each other and use manners and good words, like kids have to do?
Me (beginning to feel completely defeated and worthless as a Mom): It's really not up to the solldiers, son. Fighting in a war if our country is in one is part of their job. So they have to go fight when their boss tells them to.
CJ (more determined than ever): But Mommy, you think the boss man's mommy didn't teach him good manners?
Me: Son, I think that when you take care of a country things are a bit more complicated than that. CJ: What?
Me: I think going to war is a bit harder than just using good manners.
CJ: Mommy, it's not that hard. I know it's when the good guys fight the bad, mean guys. And the bad, mean guys won't use good manners so the soldiers have to shot them so they don't teach kids to be ugly.
Me: Close enough for now. Can we please watch the movie?
CJ: But that's what we been doing.
Example #3
CJ: Mommy, something funky going on in the living room.
Me: Funky? What do you mean?
CJ: You know, funky. These things just fell off the TV (holding up 2 pieces of paper) and I not did it. See, it's funky in there.
Me: I think strange is a better word than funky. And I'm sure the ceiling fan just blew them off the TV. Nothing strange about that.
CJ: No, Mommy. It's fun....strange in there. I cut the lights and fan off. The fan don't blow things when it's off. See? Strange.
Me: I really don't think it is anything to be excited about.
CJ: Well, Mommy, you should know that it was my Daddy. You know, my Daddy in Heaven?
Me (already cringing): Yes, son. I know who your Daddy is. Why do you think it was Daddy?
CJ: Well, he sometimes plays with me like that. 'Member when he scratched my leg to wake me up a little while a go?
Me: I remember you said that something had scratched your leg and it woke you up. I didn't know it was Daddy.
CJ: Well, it was. And you 'member when he pushed me the other day and almost make me fall down?
Me (rubbing my eyes and forehead): No, I don't remember that. You didn't tell me that you thought your Daddy pushed you.
CJ: Well, he did. He was only playing with me. He's inbisible, you know?
Me: Well, Baby. I know that we can't see him any more, but we can always talk to him whenever we want.
CJ: Mommy, I know that! But why is Daddy in Heaven inbisible if he wants to play with me?
Me: Hon, I really don't know the answer to that.
CJ: But Mommmmm.....how can I know evrything if you don't tell me what I need to know?
Me: Let's go get milkshakes!! Want a milkshake?
So, folks. You see why I haven't had the energy to post anything this week. I did have an idea though. How can I get CJ into one of those "Town Hall" meetings with the Presidential candidates so he can ask THEM questions?
3 Comments:
WOW! I'd be at a loss too. We had some of those conversations about the Hurricans in '04. Eventually I had to get out the oreos. Good luck with that one, as my Busha would say, "He may be too smart for his own good."
My daughter comes up with stuff like this too. On one hand, I have no clue how to answer the questions. But then, how great is it that he's thinking this stuff. What a smart boy. Good luck!
How amazing!! I would pay to see him at a town hall meeting.
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