Kids Say the Darndest Things

06.19.2010

I’m sure we can all agree kids say the darndest things. One of the things that I absolutely love about kids is their raw humor. They may not know they’re being funny or they may not mean to be funny but they often have a way of saying the right (funny) thing at the right time.

Rob took me on a summer solstice hike this evening because I’ve been whining that we don’t do enough outdoor activities. There were a few kids on the hike and at one point, a little girl of about 5 says to her dad, “It feels like we’re in the middle of nowhere.” And without skipping a beat, her brother, of about 7, says in a beautifully sarcastic tone, “If we’re in the middle of nowhere, then why can you see telephone poles?”

Rob and I got a good chuckle out of this because, well, it is logical, right? But, as Rob pointed out, it’s also such a sibling thing to say and do. Ahh…the joys of siblings.

So, in the spirit of kids saying the darndest things, I’m including some anecdotes that came to me via e-mail about kids and their answers to questions. You may have seen them already yourself. In full disclosure, I have NO idea about the validity of these answers (except for the very last one because a student wrote something similar about me once when I was teaching). Enjoy!

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?

DONALD: H I J K L M N O.

TEACHER: What are you talking about?

DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I. '

MILLIE: I is...

TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'

MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?

SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.

TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?

CLYDE: No, sir. It's the same dog.

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?

HAROLD: A teacher.