From the Mouths of Babes

From the Mouths of Babes

I haven't done a lot of community service, but whenever I do it's kind of heart-warming and full of pauses that make you think about life and love.

But sometimes community service has its OTHER moments.

When I was in jr. high, I helped out a day at the elementary school after-school club, for kids who had to wait a couple extra hours for their moms and dads to get off work and come pick them up. For the most part, kids are cute at that level - my group was between 6-9 years of age. Still innocent. One girl spent half an hour drawing me a picture of me and her picking flowers.

For a break, the adults and I took the kids out to the jungle gym area to burn off energy (by break, I of COURSE meant the adults!). I took my group over to the jungle gym.

And all of a sudden, the little 9-year-old boy started telling dirty jokes! Like, OMG! I was only four years older than him, and yet I was so embarrassed! I didn't know what to do, ESPECIALLY because the other little kids were all, "Oooh! Funny! Cool!" (oh snap, I just realized they might not have totally understood it and were just fake-laughing!) I ended up just telling him 'it wasn't a good idea' (although not really that heatedly, because I was kinda curious, too, and I wasn't nearly cool enough to be able to 'just say no'!). And then after a couple of more, I ended up changing the subject (my eternal failsafe!).

Ha ha, that REALLY shocked me. My innocence was lost because I realized I was overdue for losing my innocence.

Now I truly understand the terrors of such false young minds! Let this be a lesson to all of you!

If you're ever in this situation kids, talk to an adult.