I have a boy. *sigh* He is a bit of a mess. I love him ever so much, but he is a lot of personality in a big body and he has such a difficult time holding still. EVER.
Anyway, little things like this make me love him more, and almost make his exasperating behavior bearable.
This morning a few children came to tell me he was crying. It was quiet crying, so I asked them to talk to him. After a bit I went to check.
“Are you ok?”
He lifted his tear-streaked face and asked, “Can you not marry your mom or dad?”
“Did someone tell you that?”
He sobbed, “Yes, but I wanna marry my mom…”
Oh, dear. I knew where this was headed. I gathered him up and said, “Well, you can only be married to one person, and your mom is actually married to your dad, but she gets to be your mom and you get to be her son! That’s even better!”
He wasn’t buying any of my stupid logic. He just kept sobbing on my lap. So I said, “You know what? You can’t get married until you are 18. When you’re 18, check with your mom.”
“… I can marry her?”
“Check with her when you’re 18.”
I hope I don’t cause any family problems in 2031.
Brad says
I was just talking about this with my sixth graders. I was telling them how developmentally appropriate it is for a little kid to want to marry his mom or sometimes even his dad.
“Married people love each other. I love my mom. I want to marry my mom.”
It makes perfect logical sense. Unless you’re 18…
Deborah says
Good answer!
Rachel says
Well done!!
Mom says
I hope Mom know how much she is loved. Makes me want to hug him, too. Well done.
Brady says
#2 just turned 8 the other week and for a time said she wanted to marry her big brother. it weirded him out, but we told him is was a real compliment that she thought so highly of him. i think she has out grown that phase . . . kind of sad.
Jill says
That is the BEST story. My little guy still wants to marry me too. Oddly warms my heart, but I guess that’s because I know he’ll grow out of it.