Intellectual Kindergarten Conversation

Yesterday was the 1st day back to school for my boys. When Ben got home & I sat him down for his snack, I began to ask him about his day. The conversation progressed as follows:

"Hey Mom, didya know we have no school because a king got shot?"

(God rest your soul king...)

"what?"

"yea, this king got shot see & so we have no school."

I thought about this for awhile & tried to think like a Kindergartener myself. "O, you know what you DO have a day off from school coming up. Martin Luther King Day."

"so, he got shot & we don't have school, because he died & all..."

I teetered between either giggling at the reasoning of my precious 5 year old, or getting a lil' concerned 'bout his schoolin'.

"Well, you know the man wasn't a king. Yes, he was a man & his name was Martin Luther King. He was not a king like 'ole king cole or a king of a castle. His last name was King. It's his name sweety..."

My dear scrunched up his one eye & raised his eyebrow a little perplexed. "What..."

"He was a man who did a lot of good to change rules in America for people. People who weren't being treated right, by ugly mean folks, who knew no better. He was a very good man & each year Americans celebrate his Birthday together."

"Why were people mean? What did he do?"

"People sometimes don't treat each other right. It's not good & shouldn't be allowed. Martin Luther King was a powerful man who worked real hard at changing rules & laws so all people would be treated the same."

"Well....why'd someone shoot him?"

Ok, sometimes I can get too deep & real struggle to communicate in 5 year old language. I wanted to say "Because they were horrible racists who thought things were just fine, treatin' people wrong & all. They wanted to keep on hurtin' people because they liked to & thought it made them more superior!!!"

However, with restraint & simplified language I responded...

"they shot him because they were afraid of how powerful he had become & were scared of change."

"As americans we celebrate Martin Luther King's life, NOT his death. He was a very good man."

"Oooo...."

As I watched Ben's little noggin workin' & getting it. He actually was more than a little sad at learning the true story.

Then he remembered it just meant he had a day off school. Whoopee!

"Hey Mom did you know that Mario can get to this level where he jumps on the boom-bahs?"

He was off to the 5 year old conversations again & his wild stories. Hopefully, I taught him something of value that day & he'll remember it.

I'm going to the library to find some kids books about Martin Luther. (Maybe I can get some learn' too!) However, I think the fact my little 5 year old is obsessed with Skippjon Jones books now...he may go straight for those.

This was just another intellectual day with my 5 year old.

Whew, do you think I get much adult conversation? Nope...