The kids and I were driving home from the arcade. We had planned to go to the adventure park, but apparently one needs to wear sneakers for that (the ONE piece of information that wasn't on their website! Yes. I should have had more sense, but I'm all out of sense right now). So we had spent some time in the arcade, thought about a walk on the beach, but nixed that idea on smelling it further (the tide was out). We decided instead to go home early with our arcade booty. OK: The kids had booty. I had only a cleaned-out wallet to show for the day's hilarity.
I was concentrating on the road, which was narrow, windy and filled with speeding SUVs, when Grace's voice piped up.
"Mom? What does Har... I'll spell it: H-A-R-R-A-S-S-E-D. mean?
"Harrassed? It means that someone keeps bothering you and won't go away."
"And what does "despair" mean?"
"It means that someone is ...very sad. ...very, very sad and has no hope"
"And what does "an... "anxious" mean?
"Anxious? It means you are kind of ...scared and ...worried. Thats' a better word, actually: "worried"
"Oh. OK!"
"Grace? where are you finding these words? In a movie?"
"No. They are on my mood ring"
"Oh."
You know, while I am glad that Grace has lived 9 years and three months without knowing or fully understanding the meaning of these words, I would have been perfectly happy for her to go longer without ever hearing them. Like forever.
I suppose it is better that she hears those words applied theoretically than practically; but still. It bothers me. What bothers me most is that I paid money for my daughter to learn those words I hope she will never experience firsthand. Because that will probably be the lasting impression of that day for her. She will forget the fake leopard coin purse and has already broken the joke hand-buzzer. But I bet, if in three months time; I ask her what "despair" means, she will be able to tell me.
Fun day out: FAIL
Jeez, that mood ring is a kid's toy?!?!?!? Sounds like it was designed by someone who needs therapy.
Posted by: Wynda | August 05, 2009 at 02:09 PM
Yeah, I was thinking that mood ring sounds kinda depressing!
I hope Grace's ring lights up *none* of those options!
Posted by: Lisa Moon | August 05, 2009 at 05:21 PM