Things I Can't Say

Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

Things They Can’t Say: Out of the Mouths of Babes

things they can't sayDebra is a married mom of two kids under the age of six. Aside from her mommy CEO duties, she also works full time in TV PR. She’s always trying to find the fun and funny in everyday life and writing about it as a mom, wife, friend and career gal, but not always in that order! Find her blogging at The Harried Mom. 

My children astound me most days. Sometimes it’s something they physically do, but most times it’s what comes out of their mouths! I’m always surprised by how much of the world they take in and understand.

DebraRutt-1There are times when I’ll ask my kidlets a question and get no response. Hours later they’ll respond to me as though it was a current conversation. I’ve usually forgotten what it was that I asked them so they have to explain what they are telling me and I’m impressed by the amount of thought behind their answer no matter how inconsequential my question was.

Take the other day, for example. I was driving in the car with my five-year-old son, just the two of us. We were running errands and had a very interesting conversation.

It started out very silly. We had just finished up at the bank and he asked me which was more: a million dollars or a zillion dollars? “A zillion of course” I replied! He giggled and proceeded to rattle off a list of all the things he would buy with all that money. This went on for a good ten minutes and I was only half listening to him at this point – I mean, how much can a mom take hearing about every single Sklylander character – when what he said next almost had me in tears.

It was a conscious stream of thought for him, “and I would have enough money so that mommy and daddy would never have to go back to work and be at home with me and my sister all the time. Oooh, and I’d get some new LEGOs…”

I interrupted him and asked, “Well, what if you had a choice – either buying all those fun things or having mom and dad at home all the time, what would you choose?”

He thought about it for a few minutes before he replied. He said, “as long as we can still live in our house, then have you and daddy at home all the time.” I asked him why and he told me “because family is all you have.”

My five year old had created a life philosophy for himself! When I was his age the most complicated problem I was tackling was how to snooker another cookie from my parents. I wasn’t spending time pondering major existential situations!

My boy made me think. Life is not a contest. It’s not about who has more money, a bigger house or even, who has more Skylanders. It’s about family, and how you love and care for one another. Family is the only thing you will have with you for your entire life and it should be cherished. I am proud of my son for knowing that at his young age!

Sometimes the things that children say are meaningless, and sometimes they are just beyond understanding. I going to make sure to keep listening to my son, I’m anxious what his next deep teaching will be!

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Comments

  2. There are hidden blessings to be found when we listen to our children, no matter how old they are.  Sometimes it’s just a little quip tossed off in a bigger conversation.  One has to be really listening to catch it.  A couple of weeks ago, while ranting about a current situation in her life, my 33 yr. old daughter mentioned how sorry she was to have been “such a bitch” as a teen.  That was the closest to an apology I have ever had from her for those years of torment for both of us.  We are on fabulous terms these past 12 years, but it was still balm to my soul to hear what she said.

  3. I love that conversation you had because it really does prove that sometimes they are the teachers and we are the students. I think I’ve learned more from my 4 kids than I ever did in school.

  7. Our children are trully smarter than we give them credit for and life is so busy nowadays it seems they are having to grow up alot faster. 

  8. I’m new to your blog but hooked at this point.  Out of the mouths of babes.  I was a stay at home mom for 35 years.  My last of 10 just went off to the Military.  I am proud and honored to say that I missed hardly a day raising these kids myself.  It was me that was the lucky one.  My life had never a dull moment.  When we were starting out, I said, “I’d  live in a mobile home in a vacant lot rather than go away to work and leave my kids to someone else to raise.  Things work themselves out and we didn’t have to live that way.  But I got to raise all my kids and although it was the hardest job on earth (some were adopted under very adverse situations) I’m sitting back now, not regretting a minute of the best job on earth!

  9. I hate when our kids trip us up with pearls of wisdom, mixed with mommy guilt and a whole lot of pride that we gave birth to such cool people who in the end keep us sane. If only they wouldn’t make our ears bleed at the same time!

  11. OMG, out of the mouths of babes! And he did nail it! I have tears in my eyes. Thanks for sharing! Oh, and you have a new follower as well! 🙂