Do you remember that show Kids Say the Darndest Things? My family and I used to watch it growing up and while I don’t remember any funny things I’ve said growing up there are PLENTY of times my kids have said things that crack me up.
A few memories stick out. When I asked my little guy how he thinks birds build nests and he replied, “with their peckers” I couldn’t STOP laughing.
Another moment is when my men and I were on our way to the grocery store and they were trying to convince me to buy ice cream. I made a deal with them, if they could spell a word I picked they could pick out ice cream. While I was thinking about the perfect, challenging but doable spelling word the little one pipes up, “I know! Sarcophagus!” The big one says, “you dummy, she would have never picked a word THAT hard!”
As my men are getting older, their responses are not as sporadically funny BUT they do tell me some interesting things that happen at school.
This brings me to the Giraffe and Elephant story…
My oldest is 13 years old, 6’2” and growing. He’s taller than a lot of the seniors at his charter school, most of his eighth grade comrades are about his shoulder height.
There is a portly schoolmate that tends to pick on him. It seems to be “in-fun” but nonetheless this rotund kid picks on my man. My man isn’t bothered by it but he does come home and tell me about the instances.
One morning before school my man was telling me that this kid started calling him a giraffe. A couple days later he gave me an update that went something like this…
”You know how C***** tells me I’m a giraffe?”
”Yes.”
”Well, B***** thought it would be funny to call him an elephant,” my son’s eyes got huge as he said, “he was PISSED.”
I could NOT control my laughter for the rest of the day,
Hopefully they have How To Be a Better Parent lessons in Hell because that’s where I’ll be, laughing 😂
In a roundabout way, this story makes me grateful for sports, the friendship and “have your back” attitude that comes with teammates.
The Giraffe and the Elephant is a better title, however, The Cornerback Sticking Up for the Wide Receiver Off the Field could work too.
Help your kids find their tribe. Maybe it’s football, soccer or dance but they definitely need the ride-or-die friends to get them through those “in-fun” bullies.
Namaste,
Jes xoxo