Children Are Meant To Be Seen, Not Heard
It doesn't matter that she's been gone longer than she was a part of my life, when Mothers Day rolls around, I still think of her. My mom. She travelled a different path than I do. That's not to say she travelled a wrong path, per se, but she did travel a path I wouldn't choose.
At the end of the day, though, she did the best she could with what she was given. She just wasn't given the tools needed to deal with most of what life threw her way.
And sometimes she used the tools that she did have in a way that don't make sense to me now that I have the perspective of being a parent.
"Children are meant to be seen, not heard." It was something she said often. I suppose it was a fitting thing to say when faced with a kid who never shut up, which I'm sure I was. I knew EVERYTHING when I was little. The funny thing is the more you learn, the more you realize you know nothing. Right about now I think I'm a total idiot. But back when I was Alexis' age? EVERYTHING. I knew it. I'm sure I talked everyone's face off as I proved that point to them.
So, my mom would shut me up by saying, "Children are meant to be seen, not heard."
The words haunt me. Still. They have always made me feel like whatever it is that I have to say, it's not worth hearing.
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As Alexis and I walked out the door, she spotted the little girl across the street. The little girl is perhaps 2 or 3, and Alexis adores her. The feeling is obviously very much so mutual because as soon as she spotted us, she yelled "ALESHUS!" and started running across the street to greet us.
She had a head start on her mom, so Alexis snagged her halfway across the road and began leading her back to her house. I walked behind them because if the weather is going to be beautiful, I'm going to say hi to the neighbor. As we walked over, Alexis and the little girl chatted. There is exactly one topic at the top of Alexis' mind these days, so she brought it up.
"Three weeks!" she said.
One thing led to another and just as we stood face-to-face with the little girl's mom, the girl asked the question. As in, THE question.
"How did the baby get in your mommy's tummy?" she asked.
I looked at her mom, felt terrible, and instantly plotted an escape. I ain't taking a question that isn't meant for me, yo. I reached over to grab Alexis' hand so we could make our escape when Alexis decided to answer the question.
I cringed.
"She ate it," Alexis replied.
Children are meant to be seen, not heard.
But then Alexis put her hand to the side of her mouth and loudly stage whispered to me, "Don't worry. I know how it REALLY got there."
"Oh, really," I mouthed back.
Alexis looked from adult-to-adult and replied, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sperm. Egg. You know the deal." Then she turned on her heel and marched away as the neighbor and I stood laughing.
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Looking at cute kids is great and all, but listening to the words they use to describe their world is even better.
"Children are meant to be seen, not heard."
They might just be the dumbest words I've ever heard.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Reader Comments (9)
Happy Mother Day girl , and the love and good goes on and on because of you!
OMG she is clever!
Love this!! Listening to Chancery's perspective on the world is the best! I agree. Happy Mother's Day, Michelle!
I love listening to what they say, even though my ears get tired most days.
"She ate it"? LOL! I really wish that conversation had continued because awesome. :)
Sure, that's funny and all... (in fact, I almost spit my soup), but I feel bad for your neighbor. She's going to have to spend the next year trying to convince her daughter that she's not going to eat her.
You have one smart cookie there. Keep up the good work you're doing.
so thankful my mom was like you and not of "children should be seen and not heard" group. xoxo
also, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sperm. Egg. You know the deal." is pure perfection. love that kid.
LOVE!