One would think a babysitter would be the one to teach kids lessons in inappropriate things, not the other way around. My daughter received an earful while babysitting nine, six, and five-year-old siblings the other day. The lessons she learned were entertaining, wise, and worth repeating, if for no other reason than to humor you. She learned the nine-year-old brother had broken up with his girlfriend because she was too “indoorsy.” He’s now dating a girl from Sweden, to which the six-year-old said, “Yeah, he has a thing for Swedish girls!” Lesson one: It’s never too early to have a type and know what you like or don’t like about the people you spend time with.
When my daughter commented on how much the six-year-old knew, he agreed. In fact, he replied with, “Yeah, I know A LOT of inappropriate things.” It’s funny to think what a six-year-old son of a minister views as inappropriate. It makes me wonder in his mind what the problem is: his nine-year-old brother having a girlfriend or the fact she’s Swedish? Lesson two: What one person perceives as “inappropriate” can differ significantly from another person’s viewpoint.
When pressed for other examples of what he felt was inappropriate knowledge, Whit wasn’t willing to share. Instead, he kept his lips sealed. “I can’t tell you, in case you don’t already know.” Lesson three: It’s good to be mindful of not tainting other people’s minds.
Lesson four was the important role zip ties can play in life. Hailey learned they’re an excellent way to tie a sibling to a swing. Despite the five-year-old insisting that her mom “sometimes lets me use the scissors,” Hailey cut the child free from the swing. Plenty of lessons in inappropriate things were already covered that evening—no need to make one more.
