shhhhh

I have known since I became a parent that I am destined to embarrass my kids constantly when they reach the right age. I've often wondered if it would be the way I dress, the car I pick them up in, the music I listen to - honestly there are a lot of things about me that are potentially embarrassing. But I came to a new realization today. This embarrassment thing is a give and take. The kids do it to us as they're growing up, so they totally deserve to get it back! Here are two examples:

1. Katelyn has done this a couple of times. We'll be walking together - Katie, Carter, and I - when we see a strange man (it has been a man every time, though not necessarily a scary looking one). Katelyn will say, not quietly, "Is that scary guy going to take us?" There are several versions of this question, all equally mortifying. I'm not sure where she gets this idea, because I've only talked to her a few times about the possibility of being kidnapped, and I've focused more on the fear of that happening if she's too far from me than the scariness of the individuals who might want to snatch her.

2. Today we were at my favorite store (Walmart, in case you've forgotten), doing my favorite chore of shopping for the week's groceries. We walked by a woman who, admittedly, had a round face, although she was not overweight. Katelyn said, again not quietly, "Some people have really round faces. They're really round and fat. They're so fat they can't breathe." It went on for a couple more sentences. I'm not sure what she was getting at, with the whole can't breathe thing, but she kept saying that people are fat. I was trying to shush her without making it seem like I thought she was talking about anyone around us. I didn't want to make it any worse. When we were a reasonable distance from most other shoppers, I explained that we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by calling them fat. She really doesn't understand this. I'm not sure if she even knows what "fat" means. It's not something we really talk about.

I have a feeling that I haven't seen the end of this issue. Kids point out their observations - that's just what they do. Now it's my job to teach them some tact. I really don't think I'll feel too bad when I pull up to pick Katelyn up for a dance blasting Chicago from the minivan. She's got it comin' to her!