From the Mouthes of Babes

I'm not a massive fan of kids. In fact, I may be allergic to them. I was never a kid myself, I was born this age. 

 

I'm basically Maleficent. Finally, Disney has a princess I can relate to! 

 

Occasionally, I'll come across a little beastie that is ok. One that's a little rebel or a little old man in a tiny body. My cousins little girl is one such beast. She's 5 and she is a rebel. In fact she's a little sh*t. She asks awkward questions in public and loves to push the boundaries to see how far you can go before exploding. She's not naughty or disrespectful. She's just... a little sh*t. We'll call her K going forward. 

 

At the end of June we went to visit for K's Mums birthday. Lovely gathering with friends and family. I'm wearing a nice floating long maxi dress. We've just arrived so i'm saying hello to everyone. Then suddenly a disembodied voice booms across the garden. "Deeeeeeee, why are your boobs so big?". K is not the kind of kid you palm off. Now I have to sit down and explain how boobs grow and that when she is about 16 she'll either get some like me and Nannie or she'll end up like her mum with none. It's a game of boob roulette in my family. You're either blessed with none or punished with boulders. K thinks for a second, digests the information and trots off to play on the trampoline. 

 

Last week, we were at a meet up again. This time at the cemetery. It was the day my Nan passed away and my Grandads birthday. So the 3 generations of girls tend to meet up and celebrate with lunch. Whilst my Mum and Auntie was finishing up the flowers on my Grandparents grave I said I would go and put some on our old neighbours grave. K decided she was coming with me. As we walked along she looked at me and asked 

 

"Is she dead?" 

 

Right here we go... I get the short straw and have to explain death to a 5 year old... "Yes, baby. Her body is under the big stone but her soul has gone to heaven." We grow up knowing exactly what heaven is in my family so at least I don't have to explain that. 

 

*K continues to ponder*. 

 

So I feel I need to swoop in and explain more..."When you die and go to heaven you're happy every day. Nothing bad ever happens to you. We all get to go there when we're really old." K looks at me and confirms she'll go there one day and I say "Yes, but not until you're really old." 

 

Then her little brain starts to tick. "Like Nannie Eve. She's really old." 

 

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. Nannie Eve is in fact only 53. Bless her little heart. 

 

"No, K, Nannie Eve is not THAT old. She's got a long life to live yet. She's got a long way to go." 

 

At what point in our lives do we stop asking questions like this? Just blunt, honest questions, hoping for an honest answer. Rather than pussy footing around people and asking sugar coated questions? 

 

I could learn a thing or two from K, we all could. She's got life sussed. She knows exactly what she wants or what she wants to know and she asks for it. No apology for wanting to learn the answers to questions she doesn't know. 

 

Next time you're in search of questions, think about K and how she would ask. She means no harm and she gets the exact answer she is looking for. Will people thank you for being blunt and honest? 

Until next time, 

 

Dee x 

PS - K, if you happen to grow up and read this blog, thank you for being a little sh*t and asking awkward questions in public places. You reminded me that we should all talk from the heart and continue to question everything. Never change. Question everything with no need to feel embarrassed. I love you and your big sister loads xx