Sometimes Our Kids Teach Us What We Need To Be Taught

October 2005 I recorded this tidbit from child #3, who is 5 1/2 years old.

I'd noticed that said boy had a red ear. I thought that perhaps it was the sign of an infection and wondered aloud at that. Then I learned that he'd gotten bumped at his babysitter's house.

I kept looking at the ear, touching it and commenting on it. And when it was dinner time, I turned to him sitting beside me and said, "It bothers me to see your ear so red."

Without missing a beat he retorted,"SO DON'T LOOK AT ME!"


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When my oldest child, a boy, was 6 1/2, he had this to teach me.

I'd told him something and later told him the same thing, something I was intending to do.

He sort of whined and said, "I know -- you told me already!"

He paused briefly, then said, "Why don't you take a book and write down what you tell me so you'll know and remember!"

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And then there's middle child, a girl, who very bluntly told me a couple of years ago when I supplied the right answer for a math question, " You know, Mummy...you're smarter than you look!"