I guess we're going to start doing "Family Nights"....

Berkeley has a great sense of humor and a unique way of saying things. She is honest and painstakingly straightforward. Even when she was little I kept a book of her comments so that I wouldn't forget some of the things she said. Here are some examples:

Example one:

When she was trying on white dresses this week (for her upcoming baptism), I asked her if she liked the dress she currently had on more, the same, or less than the dress she had already gotten at home. She said to me: "Oh, I broke up with that other one."

Example two:

A few weeks ago, McKenna was throwing one of her "fits". McKenna is quite the diva when she isn't getting her way. Berk and I have become accustomed to her "moments"....but this time Berkeley looks at me and says "I like to call her the "fit-maker"...because she throws fits." I am so sure that she isn't aware of the term "widow-maker"...but the ironic way she made her words work together was just funny to me.


Example three:

There's a "flair button" for teachers on Facebook that reads: "Don't believe everything your kid tells you happened at school...and we won't believe everything your kid tells us happened at home." I am clinging to that thought when telling you the next story:

When Berkeley was little I always worried about the fact that she "didn't like" people with darker skin. I worried about her growing up racist and constantly tried to tell her that people were different on the outside, but we all were the same on the inside. It horrified me to think that she might not grow out of this.

Eventually she started calling people "chocolate skin" and "vanilla skin". This was more positive than her other negative comments...so I went with it. For awhile -- I would refer to skin color as "chocolate" or "vanilla". Pre-school teachers and psychologists reassured me she would grow out of it....and thankfully, she did. (I guess it's not SO abnormal for kids to be freaked out about people who look very different from them.)

She hasn't seemed to have an issue about it since Kindergarten....so we haven't talked about it much until the recent election. She always properly referred Barack Obama as "African American", so I didn't see the need to bring up her past issues. However...she came home a few weeks ago....and told me that they were talking about what you should and should not call people of different races. Berkeley proudly says to me "I told my class that we don't like to call them African Americans...so we call them chocolate and vanillas!" My inner thoughts immediately screamed "Oh, dear God, please tell me she did NOT just say that we "didn't like to" call them African Americans...." She did. Needless to say...we had to have a conversation about how we needed to call people their proper names now. But, the damage had been done publically already!


Example four...

While I am sure that her previous comment left me "shining" in the eyes of her teachers...I picked up Berkeley's homework recently to read it through. The students had done an assignment in class where they could fill out what they would like and would not like to do...in regards to a story about "being outside." Here were her statements:


Sleep outside - Berk marked that she WOULD like this.
Reason she would like this: "Because I like outdores."


Then down the list...


Find a place to camp - Berk marked that she WOULD NOT like this.
Reason she wouldn't like it: "Because you have to walk a lot."


Last it read....


Live in a cattle ranch - Berk marked that she WOULD NOT like this.
Reason she would like it: "Becaus its hard work."


Basically...my child likes to be outdoors IF she doesn't have to walk a lot or do any hard work whatsoever... We're SO proud. I am sure her teachers are wondering what the heck I am teaching her at home. I'd write more, but apparently I need to go plan a "Family Night" on "The Value of Hard Work and Physical Exercise." I also haven't finished my "Mother of the Year" application...so that is going to take a little time too...


Cheers.