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February 7, 2008 The Talk (which didn't go the way I thought it would) 
Wednesday was a self-declared snow day. I took one look at our slushy, snow-laden, uncleared sidewalks and declared them impassable by stroller, and we stayed home. I got a fair bit of work done for someone who was being bounced on by a small child demanding repeats of hide-and-seek and Candyland, and she went only marginally stir-crazy. While we were playing Candyland, it came out that someone at school told her Wiccans are bad guys. I can't get out who, but in the end I suppose it doesn't really matter. "I'm Wiccan," I said. "Am I a bad guy?" "No," she said. "Are Wiccans good guys?" "Some of them. Some of them are good, some of them are bad. Just like everyone else." And we sat down and I gave a little speech about how wiccans and witches are the same thing, and it's not like the books or television, and if she ever has any questions about wiccans or witches or if she hears anything about them she should come and ask me. "Do you have any questions?" Her eyes were very large and blue. She nodded, looking solemn. She pulled down the neckline of her shirt, stared at her chest and said, "Where are my breasts?" OK. What the hell. "You'll have breasts when you're a teenager. But that's a few years away still." "Are you a teenager?" She climbed into my lap. "No, I'm a grown-up lady." "Oh." "What are you going to do when you're grown up?" "I'm going to teach you stuff." She squirmed herself into the four inches of empty couch between me and the armrest. I shifted over to give her more space, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Oh? That's nice. Thanks." "Yeah. Because you don't know anything yet." Truer words may never have been spoken. Posted by Andrea at February 7, 2008 7:57 AM under Beanie Baby Brags , Witch EMAIL this entry (comments fields are below this section) Comments Cracking up over here. This is how almost all of the teaching moments go in our house. Posted by: Casey at February 7, 2008 9:00 AM
At 4 years old, you beging Wiccan is a non-issue for Frances. Posted by: LauraJ at February 7, 2008 11:31 AM
It's amazing how quickly they grasp things. The other day, I was hurriedly getting dressed when Pie pointed at my chest and said, "What you got on you?" A few days later, she had worked it all out: "Mine are little," she said, pointing to her chest, "and yours are big." (Really, they're not, but they benefit from comparison to hers!) Posted by: bubandpie at February 7, 2008 2:09 PM
Laughing and laughing. I guess when you said "Do you have any questions?" she though it was the OTHER That Talk. Posted by: Madeleine at February 7, 2008 2:57 PM
You have no idea how many times we have had the OTHER That Talk already--she's only four! And already how many times I have had to explain that girls do not have weenies, on the outside or the inside. She's picking it all up from older kids at school/daycare, and it is making for some interesting conversations. Posted by: Andrea
I totally feel for you. I only partway get it, because overt anti-semitism is not as socially acceptable, but being the only Jews around makes things pretty complicated with the kids. I am rather sorry to hear that you already don't know anything. THat's going to get a lot worse when she becomes a teenager. Posted by: Emily R at February 7, 2008 3:31 PM
LOL at that girl of yours. Don't you love it when you expect a conversation to go all deep and THERE and you gird yourself and then they are off elsewhere? One sentence gave them all they needed? I had no idea kids? people? talked about Wiccans so much. I swear I've never heard a word outside of the Southern Baptist Convention. I must not be listening. I'm going to, now. Posted by: Julie Pippert at February 8, 2008 5:15 PM
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