Kids Say The Darkest Things

Today was Double Dark. The Topic? Suicide.

I was playing a joyous pop song for the first graders, rife with rich vocal harmonies and catchy instrumental hooks. One kids raises his hand and says "Teacher, this is the music that people will kill themselves." And another kid raises his hand and adds "This music makes a person aim the gun at their head and kill themself."

Even worse, earlier today my Kindergartners were leaving the church where we were rehearsing for the Christmas Play (more on this to come) when we passed a wedding decoration display. I asked one Kindy boy if he wants to get married one day. He says no and I say sure, it's a long time off. And then he says "I think when I grow up I will buy a knife and cut my throat."

After thinking about this for awhile, I think the kids in both situations might have been trying to use English idiom. You know, the way we'd say "I'd rather kill myself than sit through another Twilight movie." Kids hear a lot of expressions and don't always use them correctly.