Out of the Mouths of Babes

Why is it that children have no innate idea of what is appropriate socially and what is not? And, is there a way to speed up the process of teaching them this learned skill?!

Now that we are in a big city, there are both good and bad things that come from the experience. There seem to be more "crazies" (I know, I know, that is not a very PC term) and "undesirables" out milling about. So, I have made an effort to be more vigilant and aware of my surroundings...especially, since I have been roaming all over Boston by myself with the two children. Well, try explaining this to a five year old boy!

The stories are just too numerous to list, so I must pick a favourite few to share.

The children and I were standing on the sidewalk in front of a bookstore while I took a photo of a building across the street. A strange looking older man came and stood very close to Rebekah's stroller, making me uncomfortable. I bent down and whispered to Noah that it was time to move on, "NOW". Of course, with his impeccable timing, he decided that then was the time to protest. I whispered again that it was time to leave and that I didn't like the man who was standing so closely to us. So, Noah, at the top of his voice said, "why don't you like that man, Mommy?" while looking straight at the guy. Of course, the man turned and looked me straight in the face (which I am certain was beet red), as I grabbed Noah by the arm and dragged him off into the book store.

The lesson was apparently not learned (despite my coaching afterwards), because the very next day, Noah announced very loudly, "Ewww, yucky, skinky cigarette smoke!" as we passed by a man who was walking along the sidewalk next to us and smoking. The man couldn't have helped but hear Noah's not so discrete commentary. Every time something like that happens I want to melt into the floor.

Then, there was the time that we were taking the train from Geneva to Paris with the kids for the weekend. At the end of the train cars where the luggage is stored there were these small "jump seats" that folded up against the wall. Well, Noah was enjoying playing in these seats and it was a chance for him to get up and walk around a little bit on the train. Kevin was the lucky one this time, and I laughed as he recounted the story to me later. One of the times that Kevin took Noah to these little seats, there happened to be a fairly sizable women sitting in one of them. Noah asked Kevin in a very loud voice how a lady with such a big bum could fit on such a small seat! What is the appropriate response in a situation like that?! Kevin's only reprieve was the silent hope that the women was French speaking and didn't understand what Noah had said.

We can only hope......