When you send a child to kindergarten, you simply have to accept that a once-private life has now gone public. Anything the child says or does may now be held against you (and filed away in a a kindergarten teacher’s mind, probably to judge you for the rest of your life).
President Spencer W. Kimball said: “When children go off to school or to play with their friends, parents cannot be totally sure of what the children are learning. But if parents take time at home each evening to explain the gospel program to their children, it will replace the negative things they may learn during the day.”
Let me set the scene for you. Today at the dinner table, Grant proudly showed Matt and me the drawings he did this week at his art-center table at school.
Me: “Um, wow, Grant. Is that you covering your ears when Natalie’s crying?”
Grant: “Nope. Not Natalie. It’s my friend Josh. He drawed a picture of me going pee-pee and I hated it.”
Me: “Okay….?”
Matt piped up, “That looks like me right now with Clark.” (Imagine in the background the wails of Clark in time-out.”
Me: “What else did you draw?”
Grant smiles.
Me: “Uh, are those guns?”
Grant: “Nope, they’re swords.”
Matt: “I don’t think mom likes that one, Grant.”
Me: “Remember scriptures this week where we read about the 10 commandments and one of them is Thou shalt not kill?”
Grant: (sheepishly) “Oh yeah, sorry about that. Here, this one will cheer you up.”
Me: “Yep, that sure is cheery.” (looking at Matt with raised eyebrows.)
Grant: “Yeah, it’s me running away from a leopard.”
Curtain closes as Grant grins proudly and mom shakes head silently and plans next family home evening in her mind.
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Diapers and Divinity 
Hahaha! These made me laugh so hard! What an imagination he has!
LOL, OK, I’m laughing. I admit it. Those drawings are priceless. And you are an amazing storyteller.
I haven’t checked on your blog for a while. I like the new look.
Such a cute post. Aren’t kids the greatest humbling factor in life? I know mine are.
Have a great week!
Well, that is some excellent, mildly disturbing artwork!! 🙂 If this is how it’s gonna be, I’m in serious trouble this fall. My kid will have some great stories to tell.
Maybe I should home school…
Love it. Those are some exciting drawings. Maybe for FHE you could read about Nephi slaying Laban and let him illustrate it . . .
Too funny! This guy has a career in pictionary! He could make millions!
Love the art therapy session! It’s gotta be a boy thing. Better they draw it than live it.
After many years of momming three boys, I’ve come to the conclusion that no matter how peace-loving you make your home, the boys will still draw guns, swords, knives, ray guns, laser beams, bombs, etc. You will survive it, and they will survive it.
I don’t want to panic you, but my neighbor’s sister’s hairdresser’s ex-boyfriend’s tattoist once drew pictures like that. And now he’s a lobbyist.
At least his imagination is as yet unimpaired by the public school system, yes?
Emma announced to me today that all her stuffed animals died. She hasn’t even gone to school yet. This is normal four year old stuff, right?
I agree with Shoebox Princess, boys will find a way to express violence. At least Grant’s is in a constructive and non-injuring way, right?
With our boys, we never allowed them to own toy guns or watch anything with guns, but (as if by instinct) they created their own guns using legos, paper, or even by biting their sandwiches into gun shapes….*sigh.
I may have three daughters, but I grew up with a bunch of brothers, and this is totally normal. As foreign as it is to our female psyches! And hey! He’s a great little artist!
He really is a great artist. Those pictures are priceless. And the way you posted it is perfect.
Ahhh, I think we’ve all seen a picture, or witnessed an act from our child that brought us to near tears—THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER, ARGGHHH!!
But, seriously, I think having your child be “human” actually helps you with empathy and understanding. We are all just struggling in this together.
Hahaha!! Those are pretty funny, although I probably wouldn’t think that if it was my own kid.
Sorry I haven’t commented much. I’ve been sick all week! But I’m trying to catch up!!
That brought back memories!! My son loved drawing like that and I thought, where did I go wrong? But he’s 18 and now laughs at them (save them) It seems the difference between boys and girls is very apparent in their early drawings. I love your blog, just came across it googling Japanese swimming.