New Religion?

When talking with kids, you always get the sense that it's their world and we are just visitors in that world. When my boys say or do something that we as parents don't agree with, what I've found is what they said or did, made perfect sense in their mind. We cannot rationalize what they just said but it made sense to them. Connor is the living embodiment of this train of thought. We have had many epic (I know epic is used too much these days but I'm using here) battles and 93.5% of the time it's because I did not take the time to figure out what he was really trying to say.    

Case is point is this weeks Connorism. It was not a battle or disagreement, but rather one of those, "What?" moments. 

I posted the other day about our trip into that separate country that is Utah County. At the Thanksgiving Point Museum we saw that movie about the Unseen World we live in. (Editors note: again if you did not read about it the other day. The museum was a really well done. The entire place was worth the 75 minute drive, yes I timed it.) While we were waiting outside the theatre doors for the movie to start, Connor was walking around looking at the other movie posters that were playing. He then runs over to me pulls in my arm and proudly announces, and I say announces because it really is and announcement, "Papa, I need to work on my Jewish." Now stop and realize, where we were and what he just said. I was not the only one present that had that raised eyebrow, concerned, confused look. I was actually stunned into silence. I now had to put on my Sherlock hat (Yes I own deerstalker hat) to determine what he was trying to say. I calmly and seriously asked him, "What?" he replied with, "I really need to work in my Jewish." Again, I have no clue what he is saying. Mandy and I are both furiously to figure out what he is saying. I asked him more calmly this time, "I don't understand what you buddy. Why do you need to work in being Jewish?" He replied, "Not being Jewish, Papa. I need to work in it so I can understand the movie." This is the moment he walks over and points to the poster for the 3D IMAX movie ofJerusalem, . At this point We are trying our hardest not to convulse into uncontrollable fits of laughter. We had to explain the difference between Jewish, Judaism, and Jerusalem. I am proud that he knew enough to associate being Jewish and Jerusalem. 

I have learned that I need to slow down as a parent and try to understand what my boys are really trying to say. Instead of being flippant or annoyed at situations such as these, and trust me I am not perfect about this, slow down. Think about things from our kids perspective. We will be surprised and proud of how they think. And one day I know I will definitely miss these moments of little innocence.