Career prospects

Overheard at Ithaca dinner table:

Dad to 3 year old: "If you don't eat your meat, you'll be a vegetarian
and you'll have to start eating more beans and tofu.
3 year old: "But Daddy, I don't want to be a vegetarian!  I want to be
a storm chaser in the spring and summer and a flower scientist in the
fall and winter!"
-Janelle

Naptime

Five year old boy: "Yeah, I'm a vegetarian too! I sleep in the winter!"

Growing pains

Man, talking on his cellphone: "I said what the hell is this, the only time you call me Dad is when you want money!"
-EH

Makes sense

Young boy: "Wow! Cats can really jump good. Which can jump better: cats or dogs?"
Older girl: "Dogs can....well actually, cows! Cause the cow jumped over the moon!"

-Wendy

Smart kid

Four year old boy: "I don't like eggs....except when they're in brownies!"

feeling...a little bit happy

Adult (opening door to visiting 3-year-old and aunt): "Why, hello! And how are YOU?"
3-year-old (whispering): "Well, I’m…a little…bit…happy." (bursts into tears).

-KAZ

Those holiday feelings....

"....I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, underneath the mistletoe last night...."

5 year old: "Missile! What's a missile?"
9 year old: "Missile-toe!"
5 year old: "Oh missile-toe!.... What's a missile-toe?"
9 year old:  "Its something you kiss under."
5 year old: "EEEWWWW!"

~Wendy

Flying fun

Woman: "Gee, with these new rules kids are going to play 'airport security' instead of doctor."

Changing colors

From our favorite former Ithacan:
Teacher: "Tomorrow is picture day. Be sure to look your best. Here is my class picture from when I was in first grade."
Smartest kid in class: "That's funny - you're white."
Me: "Of course I was white when I was 6 - I'm white now."
Smartest kid in class: "But now you're a teacher. Plenty of teachers are white. I didn't know kids could be white too."

Family values

Woman: "No, we never split up, never got divorced. It was because neither of us wanted the kids. He didn't want them, I didn't want them, so we had to stay together."

Overheard at Cornell polo

Small boy: "I have a black horse. He lays eggs."
His mom: "We do have a horse. I don't know where the eggs come from."

small embarrassments

Raking leaves at a daycare. Teacher takes the small child size rake and starts raking with it.
Girl: "Aren't you embarrassed to be raking with that tiny rake?"
Teacher: "No, why?"
Girl: "Well If I was YOUR age and using that rake, I'd be embarrassed!"

~Wendy

Tough choices

Girl: "Soup is so confusing. Do you drink it? Or do you eat it?"

At a daycare

7 yr. old girl: "I like this kind of ice cream, it has M&M's in it, only they don't have M's on them...I think they erased them."

Older and wiser

Heard at daycare.
Boy: "I don't like thunder, it scares me! I'm afraid of ghosts too."
Girl: "There's no such things as ghosts. Well... there used to be ghosts, a long time ago. But there aren't anymore. They're extinct!"
Boy: "What does that mean?"
Girl: "They all died, like the dinosaurs."

Overheard at Viva

Looking at the wide range of brightly painted stools:
Tiny little girl to even tinier little girl: "Don't worry, we'll have matching chairs."

Little girl, looking at sweatshirt: "That says GAP!"
Woman: "Yes it does, good reading."
Little girl: "What is GAP?"
Woman: "It is the name of the company that makes the shirt, the name of the store."
Little girl: "Oh."
Woman: "Like… You know Old Navy?"
Little girl: "No...."
Woman: "Hmmm, well what clothing store do you know?"
Little girl:" …….. Wal-Mart!"

Small girl: "I used to be, like, so afraid of video games."

Quick change artist

Two kids at daycare conversing over lunch -

Eight year old boy: "When we were leaving, my dog puked in the driveway! It had corn in it!"
Seven year old girl: "Ewww, one time my dog puked....."
Adult: "OK! That's enough! Can we please talk about nice things during lunch?"
Eight year old boy: "Like what?"
Seven year old girl: "Like RAINBOWS AND MAGICAL PONIES!!!!!"

~Wendy

Convenient Jeans

I asked a 7 year old boy who had a hole in his jeans:
"Do you wear those jeans because they're cool or because they accidentally ripped and they're the only ones clean?" and he replied:
"No I just like them, its easier to itch with them on."

Later I said to the same seven year old: "Wow your hair is getting really curly." and he said: "It wont be for long after I comb it."

-G Barrows