I marvel sometimes at how absolutely honest little children can be. Brutally honest. I find most times we are out, say shopping, Katie will lay her curious eyes on a new person and offer up a running commentary on what she has discovered about them.
“Look mum that lady has a baby inside her!”
“That boy is being very naughty, he needs a smack!”
“That girl is eating an ice-cream, can I have one too?”
“That lady has big boobies!”
“That lady has a big bum!”
Fortunately the victims have never been within earshot (I don’t think) but I know it’s only a matter of time. I can only hope they don’t take it too personally. A preschooler probably isn’t capable of making personal judgments about anybody - just honest, unbiased everyday observations.
I am however a little disturbed by the fact it’s larger-sized people she has a particular fixation with. Once she said, “See that man, he is very fat – if he eats too much an ambulance will come and have to take him to the hospital!”
I confess there was a time I described the very situation to Katie. I think we were watching a doco on seriously obese people and she wanted to know what was happening. Then I used it to scare her into stopping nagging me for more biscuits. I hope one day I’ll be able to instill in her the ability to also find good character qualities in others. That, and the meaning of tact and subtlety.
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