"Are you a boy, or a girl?" Mom, sitting across the aisle was mortified. I just answered the question. "Well, I was hoping the sparkly pink earrings would give it away, and I know I don't have hair, but I really am a girl."
"Why don't you have hair?"
"I'm taking some medication, and it made my hair fall out, but it will be back."
She then eyed my pink walker, which I also assumed would be a clue to my gender, and we won't even mention that I do actually still have breasts...and asked, "And what is that for?"
Now, her mom is just shaking her head in resignation, at least happy that I am not taking offense at her inquisitive little darling. "Sometimes the medicine I take makes me really tired, and I need to use this to help me to walk so I don't fall down."
And with her curiosity sated, she returned to mom who gave me a mouthed "Thank you."
Listen, I figured if she was that curious, I just had to be up front with her. But that's another by-product of never having had children; you tend to just treat them like adults. I think they like it quite a bit, too.
That's a shot of my little Dwarf Shaman flying past the Twilight Hightlands at sunset. Pretty!
Gotta love kids for their honesty. when my sis was in her final time in hospital, her little grandaughter who was not yet 1yr old came to visit daily. she would climb onto the hospital bed and just lie on top of my sis, take her face in her hands and kiss her.
ReplyDeleteWhen my sis lost her hair she was worried that leah would not recognize her, her voice also got very raspy and she was scared she would frighten her when she spoke. Needless to say, that did not happen. Leah used to break out into the most amazing smile every time she heard my sisters voice. She learned to walk on the cancer ward along with a little girl from Pakistan who was the same age. Kids eh.
Right now i have my 9yr old g/son for the summer. he has to come to rehab with me twice a week. he is seeing all sorts of people and interacting with everyone, he manages to hold his tongue until we get outside, then the questions flow. Oi vay, some of the stuff he asks, makes me crack up, too funny.
Girl, hope all is well with you today. We are having a good old fashioned foggy, damp day here, it is a relief from the heat which has been pretty bad the last few days.
keep smiling
fay in the family room
I get that with kids too - them asking why I use a wheelchair and if I can walk. Sometimes parents have told their children that they can't ask questions like that, but I'd much prefer they do ask than just stare or get scared by the idea of disability. I give them a proper answer too and I ask if they have any more questions. People - adults and children alike - get scared by what they don't understand, so giving them the info they want/need satisfies the curiosity and hopefully stops them from being frightened too.
ReplyDeleteGood on ya for being honest :o)