child sceptics

POSTED BY: boris
UPDATED: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:32
VIEWED: 4232
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BORIS

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 8:11 AM

I just tweeted this but thought I'd expand upon it coz I found it to be both amusing and interesting.
Today at work (afterschool care) a girl aged 7 admired the necklace I was wearing (black leather choker with pendant of: dark green resin donut 5cm diameter with 2cm flat round resin bead floating on wire inside it and two of the same smaller beads above and below). I said thanks I made it myself. she said she didn't believe me. I was like "whaddya mean by that?" she said I wasn't cool enough to make something like that. She was being serious not facetious so I was trying not to laugh and started helping her understand that you don't have to meet a standard of "cool" to make cool stuff but at that point some of the sixth grade girls jumped in and said I was cool and that I wore great outfits and I made jewellery to sell sometimes and I had taught them to make jewellery and other things too (kids are extremely loyal once they decide they like you). Miss sceptic didn't believe them. this kid is an accomplished dancer so I responded with " fine I don't believe your a dancer"
her response: " Ha! if I'm not a dancer how can I do this?"and she does the splits with extreme ease...so later I made a pretty good ring using a piece of wire and a bead and she was impressed but tried to hide it. As I was leaving she said goodbye and also muttered "I do think you're kinda cool...but in your own way"
"thanks sweety I wouldn't want it any other way.

I didn't realise the older girls rated my dress sense so highly. I asked them about it later and apparently me and the program coordinator rate the highest on the trend scales coz we dress "funky". neither of us indulge in trends and tend to wear what makes us happy so I was pleased to hear their opinions weren't influenced by media inspired crap.

KAREL

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 6:27 PM

Sounds like everybody learned something.

"Whatever is wrong with you is so right for me." -- Marillion.

ZEEK

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 7:08 PM

I don't believe in children either. Hearsay and myths IMO.

BORIS

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 11:18 PM

too right karel: working with kids is a never ending learning experience...probly why I keep going back there despite finding other jobs :-)

AURAPTOR

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 11:31 PM

boris

that's one shiny post.

thanks for sharing.

Bones: "Don't 'rawr' her!"
Booth: "What? she'rawred' me first."

BORIS

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 11:37 PM

your welcome Auraptor...I feel lucky that I get to have these frank informative exchanges with kids so it's only fair that I share.

PIRATENEWS

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 12:41 AM

Important lesson for this "cool" kid to learn: be nice to those on the way up, because you'll meet them again on the way down.

Besides, geek nerds run the world.

BORIS

Thursday, May 13, 2010 9:54 PM

we were saying pretty much the same thing about this kid the other day...she's amazingly talented but a bit of an elitist, influenced somewhat by her overly image conscious parent...we're working on it and seeing signs of her becoming a bit more accepting.

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Sunday, May 16, 2010 6:23 AM

Kids can be extremely trusting, and assume people are like them until taught otherwise.
Possible that her family and friends are liars on a regular basis.
Also likely she has learned from public examples that most people lie. Too young to remember that algore invented the internet and electricity and stuff, but old enough to see obamination claim US birth, and many other talking heads claim other obvious lies.
Glad you showed her some people are truthful, even when it seems unlikely. Broadened her horizons.
Shiny post.

SHINYGOODGUY

Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:44 AM

Hi Boris,

I really like your post. Seems to me this young girl has been fed the media "cool aid" and measures coolness with a tainted yardstick. What's so cool about your post is that you took time to exchange and get her to thinking (rather than regurgitating the mainstream Disneyfied montra).

I say this because my grandniece (who's 6 years old) watches Disney 24/7 (almost literally). I often tell her parents to be ever mindfull of the Disney claptrap. One conversation between 2 of their live-action characters made fun of theater (cinema) workers. They both made a face as if to say that that kind of job is undesireable.

We, meaning adults, must take time to talk to young'uns to guide them through such crap. There's nothing wrong with striving to be a doctor, lawyer, singer, actress or dancer; but equally, there's nothing wrong with working as a laborer , especially if you're working to support the family or just helping out (as some teens do).

Kids 12 and under seem to have that natural ability to speak truth (as long as they're not going to get in trouble - something my niece told me once). My little grand niece often scolds her father whenever he does or says something that he scolds her for. Turnabout is fair play. She is remarkably frank and will not hesitate to put you to the test if she feels you've been less than forthcoming.

Anyways, it seems like you made a connection with your young charge.

SGG

Tawabawho?

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