After working with children of all ages for the past three years, I often hear them say some pretty funny things. But regardless of what the activity is, these three things seem to be universal statements that may indicate something good, bad, or ugly is about to go down.
1. "You're so old!"
Not only do you get to be reminded that you no longer fall into the youth category, but you also get the added joy of being loudly told that your age is what sets you apart from them. For children, old can be defined as more than the number of fingers that they have. But on the playground, age is still the great divider. But they will one day realize that age is but a number. For now, you just have to keep reminding yourself that you may be old, but at least your car has pedals in the floor, not a place for feet to operate the vehicle.
2. "I bet I can go faster than you!"
Although the kid saying this is probably right, this simple statement usually ends with tears and at least one band aid and/or ice pack. Thankfully, they will get to prove their point and also get cared for after they do so. The only thing left to worry about is the kid who lost but has the "at least I didn't get hurt" face on.
3. "Mine is bigger/better!"
This is the one and only statement that you not only know to be 100% harmless, but also the one that you intentionally avoid entering into a further conversation about. From boogers to toys and even things that kids should not even know about, this is one of those things that it is better to be clueless about. Whatever the subject matter may be, nothing good can come from getting involved in this conversation; especially if it is between two boys.
4. "Watch this!"
This has to be one of my least favorite statements as it could have so many different possible endings. Band aids, laughter, tears, or all of the above could be the result of these words leaving little Tommy's mouth. The best possible thing that you can hope is that in the end, everyone has a smile on their face (and all of their body parts where they belong along with all of their blood still inside their body).
5. "I love you!"
From playground crushes or a statements of gratitude, hearing this from a tiny human will always bring a smile to your face. No matter your age, these three words light up anyone's day. But we all know that when they come from the lips of a child, they come directly from the heart (even if it is with the hope of getting that candy bar).
Whether they are 7 weeks old or seven years old, there is nothing better than the love that they share (even if there are some bumps in the road here and there). This world comes alive because of all of the little things that little ones say.
