I mentioned in a previous post my ears are often assaulted by really Dumb Arguments thanks to my kids. The other day held another fine example.
We were driving along in the van when I heard arguing brewing in the back seat. I couldn’t hear the exact dialogue but could certainly recognize the growls, sighs and high-pitch “no’s” that were being emitted.
Finally, my 7 year old daughter, Iris, let out a, “Mom!!!! Bency is emptying my bucket!!”
I immediately panicked and began frantically looking in my rear view mirror and trying to steal glances over my shoulder.
“Who brought a bucket in the van????” I wailed.
“What is being emptied inside the van???” I wailed again.
I envisioned hundreds of roly-poly bugs being strewn throughout the van (a usual favorite to put in buckets in our house).
I turned the volume on the radio down and Iris explained. She said that during her Life Skills class at school, her teacher told them that we all have an “internal bucket”. When someone does or says something mean to us it empties our bucket.
She then told me that Bency, our 5 year old, emptied HER bucket when he said that she “HAD A BROKEN HEART”.
I know Bency has no clue what a broken heart is and I’m assuming he learned this terminology listening to the radio because almost every song is about someone with a broken heart.
I wasn’t going to get into a lengthy conversation about “broken hearts.”
I simply told Bency, “Please quit emptying your sister’s bucket!”
For good measure I threw in, “And don’t ever bring any buckets into the van!!”
Iris emptying a bucket when she was 3 years old
Motherhood Is An Art 