Time Out-- Kids Say the Darndest Things...

For those of you who can remember, there used to be a show that aired for more than 20 years on television called Art Linkletter's House Party. Though I am a little young to remember this particular show, I do recall laughing out loud while watching the show's spin-off, hosted by Bill Cosby and co-hosted by Linkletter himself. It was called Kids Say the Darndest Things.

During each show, Cosby would sit with either one child alone or a panel of children and ask them questions. You never knew what would come next. Why? Because like the show says, "Kids Say the Darndest Things."

Recently, I thought about this show and how its premise correlates to real-life situations for many families, including mine.

There are times when we as parents don't do the best job of remembering that little ears are in our presence, and sometimes we say things that we wish we could take back and hope our children will not repeat. This happened recently regarding a pre-school aged child in my family.

During a car ride outside of St. Louis, a vehicle darted out into the road, cutting off my cousin who was driving her mother and young daughter home from a shopping trip. A little beside herself in the midst of this near-collision, my aunt regretfully shouted, "Oh, Sh..!" (Obviously, an inappropriate four letter word.)

Of course she immediately wished she could take it back, realizing that her little granddaughter was sitting in the back seat and heard her.

My cousin, the child's mother, quickly jumped in and explained that what Nana had said was not a nice word, rather a bad word that people should try not to say.

Being that most kids worship their grandparents, my cousin's young daughter decided it could not be a bad word simply because Nana had said it. That in itself in her tender little mind made it all okay.

After discussing it a little more and explaining that sometimes good people become upset or afraid and say things they shouldn't, my cousin suggested to her daughter that anytime she gets upset or afraid, she pray to God.

"Instead of just saying that when are scared or upset, we should pray to God," my cousin suggested lovingly and well-intentioned. "Got it?!"

Her preschool daughter sat up just as serious as can be in the back seat and replied, "I got it. When I feel scared, I will pray. I will say Dear God, Oh... Sh..!"

My intentions in sharing this story are to not only to bring a little parenting humor to my blog, but to also make you think.

As a mother, I am constantly reminding myself that my children hear and accept most everything I say, wrong or right, and that sometimes kids aren't the only ones who say the darndest things.