I was giving our 2 year old son a
bath today, when our 12 year old burst through the door to the
bathroom.
“Emergency! There’s an emergency!”
I turned and gave her my full attention.
“What happened?” I
asked.
Our 12 year old is named Katie. Katie is a
promising and aspiring writer. Every teacher she’s ever had has
recognized a natural ability in her for writing. She’s written
things for student publications, school newsletters and student
pages in the newspaper. She writes long stories, short stories
and poems that people love to read.
Katie is the worst oral storyteller, ever.
“Well, you know that house down there with the people who have
these two dogs? One is named Circus. They’re both Golden
Retrievers. They’re really cute.”
“Get to the point, Kate! Emergency, remember?”
“Well, they’re cute. One of the Golden Retrievers, and I think
it might be Circus, got out. He’s in our yard.”
“What else?”
“He got OUT. He’s in our YARD” she repeated apparently hoping
the extra emphasis would help me realize the gravity of the
situation.
I’ve never really understood why or how other parents could use
harsh language with or around their kids. If, however, Katie is
an example of what I can expect from our other children when
they are 10, 11 or 12 years old, I may begin to understand.
“What’s wrong with you?” isn’t really able to encompass all the
frustration and confusion that comes with dealing with a 12 year
old’s “emergencies”. I figure that these types of things are the
reasons they don’t let 12 year olds run CNN.
CNN Anchor: We interrupt the President’s speech now to bring you
breaking news about a lost dog. We are going LIVE right now to
Katie, who has been at the scene for minutes. Katie?
Katie: Thank you, Anderson. Actually, the dog is not lost. This
has developed into a much more serious situation, as the dog is
IN MY YARD!
Anchor: Katie! Katie! Are you ok?
Katie: Yes, I’m still here. Sources close to the dog tell me
that he goes by the name of “Circus” and that he has wandered
away from his home which is several houses away. I don’t know
how much longer I can stay on the air with you, Anderson; I
really need to go tell my dad.
And so she did, bursting into the bathroom with all the
exploding panic that is usually reserved for those lucky few
people who have seen meteors or nuclear missiles bearing down on
them. It’s no wonder that kids and parents have such a hard time
communicating sometimes. It seems that even though we are using
the same words, we use and define them in completely different
ways. It’s just another reason why parents look the way they do.
Now, leaving a un-potty-trained 2 year old in the bathtub for
too long, THAT’S an emergency.
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