I am really starting to question whether we should be teaching our children to be totally honest. For example, here are a few conversations I've had with Mollie recently:
I have been working with the kids to be more polite, so when they demand something from me I make them stop and say "Darling Mother, you are so beautiful and the best mom in the world. May I please have..." As you will see, this has now backfired on me.
Mollie: "Mother, beautiful darling - well, I mean you aren't really beautiful today. But I really like your shirt! - Can I please have a drink of juice?"
Me: *gasp* "Just don't say it if you don't mean it."
a few weeks later
Mollie: "Mom, I think you are getting old."
Me: "Oh, what makes you say that?"
Mollie: "You have all these lines by your eyes."
a few weeks later
Mollie: (after I sang her a made-up song she requested) "Mom, I'm going to wish on the star that your voice will get better."
Me: "You don't like my voice?"
Mollie: "Well, I mean your voice is okay but it's just a little bit wrong."
There was another encounter last night, but I just can't talk about it yet. Maybe in a year or so. I think you get the idea though.
Me: "Oh, what makes you say that?"
Mollie: "You have all these lines by your eyes."
a few weeks later
Mollie: (after I sang her a made-up song she requested) "Mom, I'm going to wish on the star that your voice will get better."
Me: "You don't like my voice?"
Mollie: "Well, I mean your voice is okay but it's just a little bit wrong."
There was another encounter last night, but I just can't talk about it yet. Maybe in a year or so. I think you get the idea though.
