A few years ago there was a television show called Kids Say the Darndest Things, hosted I believe by Bill Cosby. On the show he would interview quite young children and ask them questions on different topics. Many of their answers were quite amusing and the audience would get a real chuckle out of the young children's honesty though sometimes also quite eye-opening as to how these young children perceived their world. Over the past 8 and ½ years I have heard quite some amusing and some very disturbing things that come out of the mouth of young children and teens that I think are just small indications of the type of the world they are growing up in. I would like to share a few insights that I have gained some funny and some not so funny when it relates to our children and youth today.
My duties at the Barrhead Public Library entail among many things helping children and teachers check out materials during the school year as the library is connected to an elementary school that has approximately 590 students from K-6. As the children check out books there is the invariably funny or somewhat astounding things that come out of their mouths. Sometimes it can be quite exasperating when in checking their records I will say to them “So and so you have a library book out” and they will say “No, Mr. Goldsmith I brought all my books back and I don’t have anything out.” I will say to them again it says right here that you have something out and many times the young boy or girl will say no I don’t have anything out (and sometimes of course it is the library’s mistake in that we missed checking in an item). Then they will invariably say as I proceed to continue with the check out and scan a book which says they already have and is the book in question, “Oh I wanted to renew that book!” One does sometimes have to shake one’s head at the seeming disconnect between having something and associating it with what is being asked of them. But then again do we as adults sometimes claim we don’t understand instructions when they are clearly laid out, i.e. here in parts of Canada it is illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving as it can be distracting. But if confronted by someone maybe in authority would we not be tempted to say oh I didn’t know that I should not be on the phone or not be doing something else. So out of the mouths of babes we can learn that we need to be careful of what we say as it can trip us up sometimes.
Other times what has come of the mouths of young children and teens have been downright hilarious. Once I was talking to a young teen who wanted to place a hold on a book written by Phil Callaway, a Christian humorist. In the course of the conversation I said “Oh, I went to high school and college with Phil” whereupon this young girl looked at me quite bewildered and quite innocently stated, “Oh, I didn’t think he was that old!” After almost falling out of my chair from laughing so hard I stupidly asked “Well, how old do you think I am?” and unfortunately she was pretty accurate on her guess! Sometimes children and youth can humble us with their words and also teach us that we should not take ourselves so seriously and even to learn to laugh at one’s self a bit.
Yes, there are many other illustrations I could share of young children and teens making amusing comments but there are other insights that I have gained from some very sobering things that they have said which I feel are just indications of what they really are experiencing in their lives, some of the things that unfortunately many of us never experienced in our lives growing up. Like the young grade one boy who earlier this year rattled off all of his names to me when I asked him his name as I checked out his material and he said straight faced like that the reason he had so many names was because his mother had so many boyfriends. On a surface level, this seemed like a very amusing and hilarious comment, which did indeed make me laugh. However on talking to one of the teaching staff it was a very telling statement as this boy did indeed come from a home where his young mother had had many boyfriends and perhaps the boy really did not know his real father! Even in the small rural community where I live there are unfortunately many young elementary children who are not living in what many used to call a normal family unit, i.e. home with father and mother both residing together and the children think nothing of it. Out of the mouths of babes I hear indications (though many times unintentional) that children are growing up in shattered homes.
Other children, again many times unintentional and innocently expressed, tell heartbreaking stories. Only a couple of weeks ago I was again talking to a young grade one girl who had just returned to the school after moving back to the area. I noted that it was nice to see her and quite innocently asked why the family had moved back when she straight forwardly stated that the reason her family had moved back was that the aunt had kicked the family out of her home and the family (again I believe a single parent home) was now living with another relative! Not only do a lot of children today have to endure a dysfunctional family within the confines of their four walls but they are experiencing lovelessness from extended family and friends and are learning pretty quickly that the world really is not a friendly or caring environment.
Also from the mouths of babes I am learning, distressingly so, how hopeless many of our children and teens feel. A couple of years ago I had confronted a young teen girl about being up on the roof of the school. Initially she denied that she had been up on it with some others and then her story quickly changed. “Mr. Goldsmith”, she stated, “There wasn’t two people up on the roof but it was only me as that is the only place I can be by myself and listen to my music or I would kill myself.” After getting over my shock (and unfortunately I am sure she saw it as I had not been expecting this admission even though I knew she was from a dysfunctional home) I tried to encourage her with some word and later spoke to a counselor about her. Unfortunately this same girl who told me quite some time later, when I again mentioned to her in conversation that I had not seen her around in quite a while, that the reason was that she had been a victim of rape. Out of the mouths of babes there is every indication that so many children are growing up without love, without stability, and without hope in their personal lives.
I could share many other stories, and as I said before some amusing and some totally heartbreaking, but our children and youth are crying out to us. Many years ago, more than I want to admit to (!) a classmate used to sing the song “Let Me See this World Dear Lord as though I were looking through your eyes.” Many times I want to paraphrase that song just to say, dear Lord let me see the world through hurting children’s eyes. It is a world of lovelessness, hopelessness and fear but I trust that over the years I have been a help to these kids. No I am not a superhero or super spiritual but time has flying by and what kids say today though it may be the darndest thing, it may also be the most enlightening thing you hear in your day. Listen to them, care for them, pray for them, love them.
Thursday 2 February 2012
Wednesday 1 February 2012
Out of the Mouths of Babes
It has been quite some time since I last blogged but a lot has happened and a fair bit has to do with my work. Thought I would share a few insights that I have gained from working with teens and children since I began working at Barrhead Public Library just over 8 1/2 years ago.
The title of a rather famous Television show of a few years go was Kids Say the Darndest things. I believe it was hosted by the comedian Bill Cosby and he would interview quite young children on various topics and they would come up with some rather amusing and hilarious answers to questions posed. Well, I have had the same happen in my line of work. I keep thinking I should have written all the one-liners, mostly unintentional that I have heard. However, most are forgotten, unfortunately, other statements not so much. One I do remember and still get a chuckle over is when I was talking to a young girl, actually young teenager who was in the library one day. She mentioned she wanted to place a hold on a book written by Phil Callaway, Christian humorist. I mentioned to her that I had gone to high school and college with Phil whereupon she looked at me with this quizzical look and stated matter of factly "Oh I don't think Phil was that old!" After almost falling off my chair in laughter and with her mother standing behind I then stupidly asked well, how old did she think I was, and she basically hit it straight on! Yes I have heard lots of these type of statements over the years.
However, when I think of things coming out of the mouths of babes I am drawn to how they view their world and it saddens me. Yes there are still the amusing statements like the young grade one boy who straight faced told me that the reason he had so many names was because his mother had so many boyfriends! I admitted it struck me as very funny at the start, but then when you think of it this is a sad commentary on our society when a young child really does not have a grasp of a strong family unit. I could unfortunately point out to you many children in the elementary school of which I am a part of that don't have the privilege of having a strong family unit, i.e. mother and father both at home (and this in a small rural community of just over 10,000).
I have also had a young grade one girl comment to me, on my noting that she had moved away and then moved back, that the reason she had moved was that one aunt had kicked the family (again not sure if it is just a single parent family or not) out of the house and the girl and her family was now living with another relative. Again what does this say about our society where a child does not have a firm grasp of what it means to belong to a loving family unit and its support. I am thankful for my family and how I have a godly heritage but so many children today not only don't experience in their blood relations but even have no concept of love from extended family and friends.
One other series of comments that really has impressed on me where our children and youth are growing up today was made by another young teen girl a few years ago that I had confronted about something. Someone had reported to me in the library, one early September afternoon, that there were some kids up on the roof of the building. I had gone out to investigate and noted some young people walking away from the school. As I had recognized one of the girls I mentioned to her when she was in the library the next day that she had been up on the roof. Initially she said no she hadn't been up on the roof with anyone and then she stunned me. "No, Mr. Goldsmith I was actually the only one up on the roof because that is the only place where I feel safe and can listen to my music or else I would kill myself." I admit I was totally floored by this admission, as even though this girl I knew was a troubled girl was not expecting that admission and I did talk to a counselor about her later. Unfortunately another time this girl confided when I said I hadn't seen her for quite some time (at a later date) that the reason was she had been a victim of a rape. I admit even though I am a Christian and have theologicial training one does not always have the strength to cope with situations like. These comments show that our youth and children are growing up in a friendless (so it seems like to so many of them), loveless, and hopeless world. My heart cries out for them.
Many years ago when I was attending college a classmate used to sing a song "Let Me See this world dear Lord as though I were looking through your eyes..." The past 8 1/2 years, though at times to be honest I would prefer not to have been at Barrhead Public Library has caused me to at times want to paraphrase that song as to say "let me say this world dear Lord as though I were looking through children's eyes" as many of them have gone through things I never experienced as a child and it makes me want to see them experience the love and joy (though I don't always express it or feel it myself) that I have had with a loving family and a loving God.
So yes, kids do say the darndest things, but many more times they say some very profound and heartbreaking things and we need to listen to what comes out of the mouths of babes.
The title of a rather famous Television show of a few years go was Kids Say the Darndest things. I believe it was hosted by the comedian Bill Cosby and he would interview quite young children on various topics and they would come up with some rather amusing and hilarious answers to questions posed. Well, I have had the same happen in my line of work. I keep thinking I should have written all the one-liners, mostly unintentional that I have heard. However, most are forgotten, unfortunately, other statements not so much. One I do remember and still get a chuckle over is when I was talking to a young girl, actually young teenager who was in the library one day. She mentioned she wanted to place a hold on a book written by Phil Callaway, Christian humorist. I mentioned to her that I had gone to high school and college with Phil whereupon she looked at me with this quizzical look and stated matter of factly "Oh I don't think Phil was that old!" After almost falling off my chair in laughter and with her mother standing behind I then stupidly asked well, how old did she think I was, and she basically hit it straight on! Yes I have heard lots of these type of statements over the years.
However, when I think of things coming out of the mouths of babes I am drawn to how they view their world and it saddens me. Yes there are still the amusing statements like the young grade one boy who straight faced told me that the reason he had so many names was because his mother had so many boyfriends! I admitted it struck me as very funny at the start, but then when you think of it this is a sad commentary on our society when a young child really does not have a grasp of a strong family unit. I could unfortunately point out to you many children in the elementary school of which I am a part of that don't have the privilege of having a strong family unit, i.e. mother and father both at home (and this in a small rural community of just over 10,000).
I have also had a young grade one girl comment to me, on my noting that she had moved away and then moved back, that the reason she had moved was that one aunt had kicked the family (again not sure if it is just a single parent family or not) out of the house and the girl and her family was now living with another relative. Again what does this say about our society where a child does not have a firm grasp of what it means to belong to a loving family unit and its support. I am thankful for my family and how I have a godly heritage but so many children today not only don't experience in their blood relations but even have no concept of love from extended family and friends.
One other series of comments that really has impressed on me where our children and youth are growing up today was made by another young teen girl a few years ago that I had confronted about something. Someone had reported to me in the library, one early September afternoon, that there were some kids up on the roof of the building. I had gone out to investigate and noted some young people walking away from the school. As I had recognized one of the girls I mentioned to her when she was in the library the next day that she had been up on the roof. Initially she said no she hadn't been up on the roof with anyone and then she stunned me. "No, Mr. Goldsmith I was actually the only one up on the roof because that is the only place where I feel safe and can listen to my music or else I would kill myself." I admit I was totally floored by this admission, as even though this girl I knew was a troubled girl was not expecting that admission and I did talk to a counselor about her later. Unfortunately another time this girl confided when I said I hadn't seen her for quite some time (at a later date) that the reason was she had been a victim of a rape. I admit even though I am a Christian and have theologicial training one does not always have the strength to cope with situations like. These comments show that our youth and children are growing up in a friendless (so it seems like to so many of them), loveless, and hopeless world. My heart cries out for them.
Many years ago when I was attending college a classmate used to sing a song "Let Me See this world dear Lord as though I were looking through your eyes..." The past 8 1/2 years, though at times to be honest I would prefer not to have been at Barrhead Public Library has caused me to at times want to paraphrase that song as to say "let me say this world dear Lord as though I were looking through children's eyes" as many of them have gone through things I never experienced as a child and it makes me want to see them experience the love and joy (though I don't always express it or feel it myself) that I have had with a loving family and a loving God.
So yes, kids do say the darndest things, but many more times they say some very profound and heartbreaking things and we need to listen to what comes out of the mouths of babes.
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