Nurture?

October 29, 2008 in Prayer/Faith with 1 Comment

It happened Saturday.  I was riding my scooter home from Hobby Lobby.  I was in my parking lot, and turned on to my strip.  I was going slow.  I remember specifically thinking, “Wow, I’m actually going slow.”

That’s when it happened.  Out of no where.  A girl was there.  She couldn’t be older than 5.  She walks out from behind a car, and yells, “SLOW DOWN PUNK!!” Then, part 2 happened.  She quickly raised her right hand, and to my surprise, her middle finger.

I was shocked.  I didn’t know what to do.  (A few years ago, I may have laughed a little.)  I came to an almost complete stop, with it in my right mind to go talk to her parents.  Then I realized.  This girl is around 5 years old.  She didn’t just… learn it.  Someone had to teach her.

It made me sad.  I realize that some one taught her to say that.  A: I wasn’t going fast. B: she flipped me off.  She pretty much said “F-U” with her hands.  ugh.

I write this because I’m in shock.  Does it just take learning something for a child to do it?  When will she realize it’s not polite, or it means something that can be hurtful?  Who taught her that?  Would her parents punish her?  As a parent, how do you confront that issue?

I don’t know.. It’s sad to me.

  • http://www.kriskelley.com Kris

    I know that if Gabe did something like this, we would have to have a long discussion about being polite. I’d probably try to pick examples from when his feelings have been hurt to remind him. He’d probably be restricted from something also, and if we knew the person he offended, he would definitely be responsible for writing an apology letter.