Schooled in Dinosaurs

Today, I received an education. I was schooled in dinosaurs by a four year old. Jaden taught me some things that you would think a 46 year old woman would already know. We were playing with some plastic dinosaurs and made cages for them with blocks. I said, "This dinosaur says he wants out of the cage." Jaden came back with, "Pastor Lori, dinosaurs DON'T talk, they just growl." Mistake number one. Then I asked him if the brown one was the one that eats leaves. Mistake number two. I was then informed, in a polite but a little condescending voice, "Pastor Lori, the green one eats leaves because he is green and so he is the fresh dinosaur. He eats fresh leaves." How can I be so uninformed!? It took everything in me not to bust a gut but when you think about it, it's all very logical.

It's never fails to fascinate me how a child's mind works and how different they all are. Some are so literal, some have dramatic imaginations, and some have thoughts that are beyond their years. I love to have one on one conversations with my kids so I can learn more about how they think and see the world. I have to be so careful when I preach and teach that I word things that will help them and not give them the wrong impression. Even expressions like "ask Jesus to live in your heart" for some kids is too much to grasp when they are literal thinkers. As parents we need to try to be sensitive to the way our children learn so we don't confuse and or frustrate them.

After my dinosaur education, we had some great snuggle time with brother Ethan and watched one of my favorite movies, Toy Story. I'm so glad my lack of dinosaur knowledge didn't lessen Jaden's affection for his pastor! :)