“Does President Obama kill babies?”
“Hmmm?” I wasn’t sure I heard Tommy right. I was folding laundry, my mind in the zone of shake, smooth, fold, fold, stack.
“Does President Obama kill babies?”
I heard.
“Where did you hear that?”
“At school.”
“Who told you that?” I couldn’t repeat what he said.
“A girl in my class.”
I assured him that President Obama does not kill babies.
Half of my readers just gasped and half just clapped. I am not interested in a debate and DO NOT want to see it happening in the comments. I don’t want to get into the nuances of how state and federal laws allow for abortion, therefore Obama does too. So why am I posting this?
Because my 7-year-old son was picturing the President of the United States, a person and an office he has been taught to respect, killing a baby. Like Archie. Literally killing a baby.
This was an alarming thought for him, of course.
The girl who talked to Tommy got her information from somebody. I question the sanity of any adult who would tell a kiddo something like that, knowing how kids take things literally and at face value. The more likely possibility is that she overheard a conversation.
There lies the danger of being overwrought and letting emotions and hatred carry us away. Little ears are listening. Don’t like Obama? Fine. But if you are a Christian and you employ provocative hyperbole to express yourself, aren’t you bearing false witness against him?
Obama is not a baby killer, any more than I am for having miscarriages.
AMEN!!!!
Llama Momma’s last blog post..dry roasted edamame
“Half of my readers just gasped and half just clapped” That made me giggle!
Children are like little sponges and it is oh-so-important to remember that. I wonder how long Tommy was sitting on that one before he brought it to you?
Kelly’s last blog post..Election 2044
Very well put.
My 5 year old is all ears these days and I am realizing that I need to be very careful about what I say around him.
A good lesson for us all.
Kim’s last blog post..To Do
Such a good lesson in thinking before we speak… look before we leap and all that. Fantastic comment on a tricky topic.
se7en’s last blog post..Happy Birthday Hood #2 and an Interview.
Very wise words, Gretchen.
ann’s last blog post..Another Year Completed
Very well said Gretchen.
Heth’s last blog post..Transformation
Great post! What a sad thing for your son to think. We need to be more careful in our words and explanations to kids. You are right about them taking things at face value and not understanding the meaning of our words sometimes.
randi’s last blog post..notes for a friday
Something VERY similar happened to Sweet Son #1 (3rd grade) last fall shortly after the election. He came home and said “Mom, did Barack Obama say it was ok to kill babies?”
I nearly had a heart attack.
I had to do some damage control and figure out how to explain (G-rated, of course) abortion to my sweet, innocent boy who doesn’t really even understand where babies come from. Then I had to gingerly tell him why the President of the United States was even involved in a discussion about it.
This parenting thing is hard enough without having to deal with the fallout of adults who converse openly and aren’t aware of their unintended audiences.
ElleBee’s last blog post..Music In My Head
My friend had a similar experience when Bush was president. Her classmate told her that President Bush kills babies. In that case, it was a reference to children being killed in the war in Iraq.
I so agree with you on this… regardless of the subject, our kids pick up our words and attitudes… and they will repeat our words and mimic our attitudes. Absolutely.
Mary-LUE’s last blog post..The Story of Mary and Mr. LUE
My daughter goes to a Christian school, and she came home saying something similar this year.
It drives me slightly nuts that it comes to this. I was as horrified as you.
And that’s all I’m going to say.
Kelly @ Love Well’s last blog post..I Tried To Shut My Ears, But They Just Stayed Open
Sadly, too often children walk around with who-knows-what perspective of things they’ve overheard simply because they don’t understand. They are exposed to way too much, everywhere. Sigh.
Excellent post.
Joanne’s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
Well said, my dear.
Stephanie’s last blog post..It’s Never Too Late for Pictures of Cupcakes
it is so true, little ones are such a sponge and listen to everything they hear. as adults we need to be more aware of what we say in jest, anger, and everything in between.
courtney from mommie blogs’s last blog post.."recessionista" part deux…
My brother-in-law told his son that very thing after his first grade teacher praised Obama to the kids. I was sick to my stomach and have never been able to look at him the same since. She may have overheard; she may have been instructed. Making the leader of our country out to be a monster because you don’t like his politics? This world can be such an appallingly crazy place.
Great post! This doesn’t have to do with politics, but I remember when my little girl, Claire, got all upset when I told her I was hurrying with the letter I was writing so that I could beat the mailman.
“Momma! We don’t hit the mailman! That’s not nice!”
Heh.
So true.
She’s also told me it’s not a good idea to jump in the shower.
🙂
The Casual Perfectionist’s last blog post..Review: Globeology at The Wildlife Experience
This makes my stomach hurt.
I’ve erased about five different responses now.
I absolutely and utterly agree with your wise words.