Innocence vs. Naive
Today my mother in law asked me if I knew what a 'dildo' was.
Let me back track, it started innocently enough with a birthday wish phone call. One conversation led to another which led to her telling me about her husband's friend who sends him "dirty jokes" through the email. I laughed and said maybe Dad enjoyed them, to which she responded I don't even know if he knows what they mean.
"He sent one about a Dill pickle or pickle... let me think..." she said. "Oh, yeah, a DILDO! Do you even know what that is?"
Of course, there was a pause because I wondered if she was serious, if I should admit that I knew etc.
"Uh, yeah..." I said.
"Well I got the email while Josh and Lisa were here," she said of her daughter and husband. "And LISA knew! I said 'What were you raised on the streets?!'"
So many things did I love about this conversation: the fact that she thought of a dill pickle and then that she thought that her daughter was raised on the streets if she knew, and then that she told me about it.
I always wonder rasing my kids what I want my kids to know and not to know. I don't want them to be so niave that they fall for anything but on the other hand I want them to be innocent. I am not sure where to find that balance. Any thoughts?
posted by joelle @ 11:18 AM
2 Comments:
Oh Donna, Donna, Donna! It is proof of God's sense of humor that she is YOUR mother-in-law!
That is a thought-provoking question you ask at the end. I don't think you can ever completely decide an exact list of what they can/can't know. I think this because if their life-experience ever brings them into contact with a "can't know" topic and they approach you for clarification, you are stuck. If you refuse to discuss it at all, they will be even more driven to find out on their own and come to their own conclusions. However, wisdom is knowing how to address it in a way that what they are getting from you is at an appropriate level. And this is where my faith and relationship with God come in: I am relying solely on His ability to guide me in those strategic moments. Because I am fresh out of that kind of wisdom on my own!
Thanks for posting again. I miss being in contact with the goings-on of the mind of jojo-mama.
You're back!!!!!!
!!!!!!! (very happy)
I agree with Lisa P - be open to questions, and try to not let the shock show on your face.
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