Kids say the darndest things!

Kids say the darndest things......and often the most truthful.  I know I brag about Bailee...probably ad- nauseum to you all but hey, deal about it.  She's a pretty smart chick with the perception (as you'll see) of an adult......well at least some adults....Ok, enough preamble to my constitution.  Here's the latest in my Book of Baileeisms!

Bailee loves to make up games, set scenarios and just be imaginative.  After a morning of playing outside, then a transformation into a tea party lady, we were back to the great outdoors.  Lee had a tow strap out as they were moving deadwood from the creek side to the fire pit.  Bailee had hooked one end of the strap on the golf cart (in which I was sitting...shocker) and the other to the hitch on Lee's truck.  She had explained that I was a bad guy and she was the law.  The action in her scene would go like this:  "I'll drive the pick up.  It will pull the golf cart and you'll tip over.  You'll be unconscious...but not dead. Then I'll take you off to jail!"  I said, "Wait a minute. If I'm hurt and unconscious, shouldn't you call the ambulance and get me some help?"  Her reply, "Duh Grandma, you're a criminal. You're the bad guy and you did something wrong. Why should I pay for somebody to come and take care of you?"     Wow, that's a very good question!....

So now I wonder if I should be sad for her lack of compassion or proud of her ability to see things in black and white!!!  I've been asking that same question for years.  I could take this opportunity to make this a learning experience......maybe for both of us.  So I explained that we were both human beings and that we were probably both entitled to being treated humanely...... "Like at the dog pound, right?" she said. (this could be tougher than I had anticipated.)  I said, yes, it was sort of like that.  But she held firm and in no way believed that this criminal, who had done "awful things" should be given the same things that those of us who "obey the law" have "earned!"  I found myself losing the debate.  I decided that teaching encompassed giving the details and the situation and letting her come to her own conclusions.  She did and I can live with that.  I think she learned far more from that 10 minutes than any test will ever measure.