catapult magazine

Kid stories

by The *cino Community

As the explosion of Mom Blogs attests to, kids say the darnedest things.  Leon sent these in for the “Knock, Knock” issue:

My wife and I went on a mission trip to Ukraine in mid August. Our daughters stayed with my family in Newfoundland. We live in Ontario, two time zones away, and the time difference is one-and-a-half hours. The kids were at a restaurant with my parents when my mom asked what time it was. Our six-year-old had a new watch and piped up that she could tell the time. My mom looked and said, “Sis, your watch is for a different time because you live in Ontario.” Alyssa tilted her head to the side gave my mother her best “DUH!” look and without even thinking announced, for all the people to hear, “I’m already on Newfie time, Nanny!”

And:

On a camping trip with friends, we went to some scenic caves. My friend climbed through a hole in the cave wall and when he tried to get out, announced that, “I’m stuck, sir!” I went over to try to extricate him from the hole as our wives took pictures and laughed. His daughter plopped down and said, “When my family and your family go camping, it’s better than cable!”

And Erin shared one of her favorites from childhood:

When my family went out for dinner, it was a big deal.  With six kids, a small missionary income in trendy Atlanta, and a crummy Dodge fan that was always breaking down, dropping $60 or more on one meal was a luxury.  Still, about once every couple of months we’d head to the original Mellow Mushroom pizza restaurant/bar and splurge.  On one such excursion, all of us kids were super hyper and giddy, singing obnoxious songs at the top of our lungs on the way across town.  After parking that beast of a van, all eight of us jumped out into the parking lot.  I think the two middle kids were literally running around in circles for no reason and our four-year-old sister was trying to keep up.  She got a little dizzy and fell on the pavement, skinning her knees.  Now, you have to understand, this kind of thing is par for the course in almost any big family.  But my little sister was wailing and wasn’t just hurt — she was pissed to no end.  When I said the comforting words only a big sister can give: “What’s the big deal, El?  Quit it,” she yelled in her husky little voice, “I hate this!  Why can’t I be covered in FUR?!”

The willingness to verbalize any thought and to express one’s self with such wonder and seriousness make children unique companions in life — a gift, to be sure.  Adult fascination with kid stories reveals a longing for innocence, perhaps, but what else?  And what are we missing when we don’t have regular contact with children (think college students, for example)?  Share your thoughts and stories below.