The other day, Jenny wrote about swearing, and it reminded me of a story from when I was about two. My friend Ellie (not her real name) was visiting, and we wanted to "play" with my mother's button collection: spread the buttons out on the table and swirl through them, match them up, you get the idea.
The things was, we were living overseas, and had servants, and they did not pick up the buttons from the floor when they cleaned, but swept or vacuumed them up and threw them out. My mother was tired of losing buttons, so she initially said no. I asked again, promising that we wouldn't take the buttons off the table, and she agreed.
She spread the buttons out, and Ellie swept her arms out, whoosh, and alllll the buttons were on the floor.
And little two-year-old ccr put her hands on her hips in disgust and snapped, "Jesus, Ellie!"
And to this day, over 50 years later, my mother does not like to curse.
I do think it's interesting that she didn't stop with my brother, who's four years older. Maybe he didn't pick it up the way I did.
Chuckling. Kids do the best job of listening to what you're saying but the worst job at interpreting it and when it's appropriate to say it. Too funny.
ReplyDeleteClassics at our house were, The sky ate the balloon! (daughter, age two.) No way Jose! (his first real words.) Clearly my youngest had older siblings in that moment. I stopped mid-buckle and exclaimed in disbelief, You can't say that! As the baby staring at the back of the seat he was facing he hated hated so much hated being in a carseat and in the car and would scream from when you put him in that to when you got him out. That day, he decided to try a different method.
Ha! It is both delightful and unsettling to see your words in your kids' mouth!
ReplyDeleteThey are such mimics!
DeleteI would say worse if I saw a bunch of buttons on the floor. However, I don't curse much either, having spent 37 years in the classroom. That trained it out of me.
ReplyDeleteThat would do it!
DeleteHa! My mom likes to tell the stories about how I, as a toddler, knew all the cuss words AND how to use them in context, thanks to a potty-mouthed uncle of mine. Examples: I once told the doctor, as a wee 3-year-old, to "get the hell away from me, you son of a bitch." My poor mom wanted to sink through the floor.
ReplyDeleteOh, I bet she did! But A+ for clear communication from you.
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