Peanuts Anyone?

Sometimes the things my children said were much funnier than any comedian trying to make me laugh.

When my children were young, I was a stay-at-home Mom. it was much easier then, to be one. Because I stayed at home and took care of my children in their early years doesn't mean that I didn't try to make money while I was at home. I was fortunate that other Moms let me take care of their children while they went to work ... and I got paid too!

This is a story that needs some background so that you will understand the simple and yet hilarious conversation that I heard go between my 3 year old son and a young girl that I was taking care of. When my children were young there was a great movement afoot to call body parts what they actually were, but our family had not reached that stage yet. Hence my boys called their penis a ding-dong. The little girls parents, however, were very into being anatomically correct with their children. Also for more background, my younger son was a very active little boy who hated to take time out to go to the bathroom. When he couldn't wait any longer, he would always agree to go but wanted company while he was there so he wouldn't get bored!

One afternoon, my son sat on the toilet making conversation as he loved to do while sitting on the throne. The little girl and I sat on the edge of the bathtub and kept him company. The little girl was a very serious child and studied my son for quite a while before she stated, in a very loud voice ... "______ has a penis. " (I will leave names out to protect the innocent) "What?" my son said curiously. "_______ has a penis" she repeated, nodding wisely. My son thought about that for a while and then said, "Peanuts? I can't eat Peanuts, they may get stuck in my throat."

I, at this point sat astounded, not knowing what it say to these two little 4 year olds having this conversation ... "Oh, " replied the little girl and nodded again. You could see her little mind whirling, but she only nodded again and the conversation went off in another direction.

I wondered for a long time what the conversation was like with the little girl's family at the dinner table that night when they asked her what had happened in her day at the baby-sitter's.