I grew up playing and sometimes brawling with kids. I wish someone can tell me what I asked and said when I was too young to comprehend the intricacies of life. I have met different kinds of people across religion, race, culture, and belief. But, meeting kids of various interests, ages, dreams, goals, and the like is my most favorite, because it is when you are conversing with kids that you realize the colors of life. It is the time when you are slapped by the questions and statements that have long been haunting you unconsciously. That is the time that you try to ask the questions that have long been buried,forgotten, and ignored. I listed some of the questions and statements that I heard from kids that I’ve met. Here it goes:
- “Teacher, do you know ISIS? Why do they do that?” – A question asked by a 9-year old boy.
- I was discussing to my student what the word ‘genuine’ means. I said, “it means real or true, for example a genuine or real diamond or a genuine friendship.” My 11-year-old student interrupted me and asked, “friendship? Why teacher, is there such thing as fake friendship? It is friendship, it should always be real, right? If it is fake, why would you offer that to other person in the first place?”
- My tutee and I were talking about Nelson Mandela, a South African who changed the apartheid laws before in South Africa. After a while, he asked me “Teacher, why are there races? Why is there white, black, brown, and yellow just like me? Why can’t everyone be equal?” He’s Korean.
- A 10-year-old boy once asked me, “why are you working here? Do you like your work? Are you here because you like this or are you here because you need money?”
- My nephew, who was then 11 years old, asked me, “why do people do bad things to other people? Is it needed to survive?”
- I asked a boy once, “who’s your favorite singer or band?” “No. I do not have. I am more into melody, rhythm, lyrics than the singer,” the boy replied.
- I asked my 9-year-old student, “Have you heard about the terrorist attack in Paris?” He answered enthusiastically, “Oh! Yes, yes! I saw that on TV. Why did those terrorists do that? What is the reason? I do not understand.” This is in my ESL class under the reading topic People Who Changed the World.
- I explained to my student what guardian mean. I said a guardian is a protector. Then, I asked him, “So, who is your guardian?” I expected him to answer his parents are his guardians, but- “Oh! Uhmmm… My guardian is God!” he said.
- “I asked my mom if it is possible for someone to make someone. She said that it is a religious thing. She said that it can be true or not true,” said my 9-year-old student. “Oh! That! Do you know Big Bang Theory-” before I could finish my question, he answered enthusiastically “Yes! I know that. You, teacher, which do you believe the religious thingy or the scientific one? Will you not choose Big Bang just because you are a Catholic?”
- I had a 10-year-old student before. Every after class, he would ask me, what’s his evaluation that day. In the evaluation part, there’s for scores, participation, behavior, etc. I told him to read what I’ve written “He did very well today. He shared a lot of ideas about the topic and answered the activity very well.” He smiled and said, “Oh! my mom will really be happy of my evaluation.” That’s how he reacted to me everytime he got a good evaluation. Then I said, “you really love your mom. You want her to be happy always. That’s very good!” Then he replied, “well, because she hits me everytime I get negative evaluation. She’ll say ‘oh, you are playing again in your class.'” My heart was melting while I packed my things. I remembered the times when I wrote in his evaluation sheet, “He did well today with the lessons, but he’s a bit playful.”
Those are just some of the many that I came across. Some left me open-mouthed and speechless. Some left me thirsty and hungry for truth. While most of them left me wondering about faith, love, humanity, and life as a whole. I know that the questions and statements that kids make will continue as I live. They may be haunting but they make me realize things and somehow leave imprints in my heart and soul.
(Photo taken from www.workingmomsagainstguilt.com)
aysabaw said:
Hey this is a very good post.
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soulinsurreal said:
Thank you very much. That’s from my personal experience. 🙂
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aysabaw said:
You have a very nice job there.
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soulinsurreal said:
Yes. I don’t get stressed and bored to much at work because I get to experience, learn, and know things. But, God! The traffic volume here! That really demotivates me to go to work. REALLY! 😦
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aysabaw said:
Hey…asan ka if i may ask? At nag LLE ka sa UPOU?
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soulinsurreal said:
Language Education yung kinuha ko. Regular student ako. Hindi ako nag UPOU.
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aysabaw said:
ah okies he he
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soulinsurreal said:
🙂
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plotless1 said:
Very nice post. Kids are brilliant aren’t they?
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soulinsurreal said:
Yes, they are! Awesome mind!
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plotless1 said:
Reblogged this on plotlessone.com and commented:
I read this yesterday. It is all human.
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soulinsurreal said:
It is. Thank you for reading! 🙂
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plotless1 said:
Or course.
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soulinsurreal said:
and thanks for the reblog! 🙂
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plotless1 said:
fo sho
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viewsplash said:
I concur with their anxiety to know ‘coz they have to. Else they form answers themselves which can be far more dangerous than simply letting them know the truth!
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soulinsurreal said:
Indeed! But, utmost care should also be made in answering questions, because one answer might destroy the innocent and awesome childhood they have. Answering questions is as dangerous as not answering at all. Perplexing, it is! heh. Thanks for reading 🙂
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viewsplash said:
Very very true! 😀
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stephleo said:
Love this! I did a similar post recently on “words that should never make a sentence.” Kids are so candid and real. Sad that we loose this as adults. : )
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soulinsurreal said:
Is there any link or something for that? I’d love to read your post. 🙂 And yes, kids know very well how to speak their mind and heart out. Perhaps, we, adults knew this, we have just “unlearnt” it, so to speak. We were kids once , right? heh. Anyway, glad you like my post. Thanks for reading. 🙂
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soulinsurreal said:
Hello. I tried to visit your site but it says that it isn’t available and that the author deleted her site and stuff like that. Why is that? I’d like to follow you. 🙂
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stephleo said:
Here is my site: https://whosmyfavoritetoday.wordpress.com/
I had a site that I deleted several months ago. Will have to check out what is happening. Thanks for letting me know! : ) Hope you enjoy reading!
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soulinsurreal said:
I tried clicking the site that you are using here in the comment section one more time, but same thing happened. Anyway, following your site (the one linked in your comment here) already.
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soulinsurreal said:
Perhaps, you have to change some things in your Gravatar profile since you had other blog before. I am not that sure but Gravatar is what we use in commenting ,right? Oh, well, just ask an expert, I am not that sure. heh
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stephleo said:
Me either. Trying to work on it now, but I am NOT a tech expert : )
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soulinsurreal said:
Me too! and when I solve a tech problem myself, Oh God! I feel like I am a a god, a virtual god at least! 😀
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Stacey said:
Wow it’s amazing what children of a young age can come up with!
I particularly liked the one about friendships – so sweet!
A really nice post 🙂
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soulinsurreal said:
Yes. They think raw. About the friendship thing, when that kid said that, I was awestruck and speechless. Such awesome mind!
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Stacey said:
I can imagine you were! An awesome mind indeed!
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fabiolaofmexico said:
This was wonderful! When you want to hear the truth, just ask a child. My kids also surprise me with things like that all the time. We should all stay children inside, wouldn’t that be awesome?
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soulinsurreal said:
That is definitely right! How they think is magical! 🙂
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purpleslobinrecovery said:
Wow, my heart is bleeding for that poor boy that gets hit. I’m sure you never wrote a negative one again.
Here from Inspire Me Monday.
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soulinsurreal said:
He’s my student no more. Thanks God! heh. I do not have to think if I’ll be honest or not in the evaluation. haha. If that part makes your heart bleed, I have more stories to tell. But telling those might make me jobless. haha
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purpleslobinrecovery said:
Oh no, I don’t want to hear any more. I was a teacher, and some of the poor kids would break my heart.
NO!! Don’t tell those!
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soulinsurreal said:
They are heartbreaking. and soul-melting 😦
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purpleslobinrecovery said:
Yes, I can imagine, judging by my own experiences….
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Ann GrubbsnCritters said:
I came across your post from a tweet from OM. Your post is a great capture of what goes on in a kid’s mind. Some made me smile and they are insightful questions – sounds too wise for their age…on friendship, on big bang…amazing! I’ll be returning to read more of your posts for sure. 😊
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soulinsurreal said:
Indeed, kids have brilliant minds. I warmly welcome you here! Thanks for reading! 🙂
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