Out of the mouth of babes

I got to spend time with two of my favorite people today: my nephews Michael (10) and Jacob (8). To say that I love them and they make me smile would be an understatement. They never cease to amaze me with the people they are becoming. Case in point, our ride home.

Today was report card day and as we got in the car to leave the playground they said, “Wait Titi, don’t go yet you have to look at our report cards.” (My family subscribes to the “It takes a village” style of parenting and we’re all involved in all of the kids’ lives) I took their report cards, reviewed them, made some comments, asked some questions and then let them explain the details of their grades. As they shared how they had improved or how they planned to, Michael made mention of the fact that our Chicago mayor’s name,  Richard M. Daley’s, was on his report card. The conversation, strangely enough, led to a discussion about our new mayor, why they didn’t want him to win and wanted Gerry Chico. That they wanted Gerry Chico because he had better ideas, like lowering gas prices but instead other people are more worried about lower other prices even though gas prices are so high they should be the biggest concern.

My heart cried with joy. I was both amused and amazed at this conversation. I was impressed at the level of critical thinking they had done in choosing a mayoral candidate as it was much more than many adults I know. But these types of conversations are par for the course during my time with them. To a certain extent, I treat them like intelligent young men and they usually exceed my expectations. I am a proud Tia.

It doesn’t end there though. The feeling is mutual. Just a few hours earlier Michael shared that he had told his teacher that I was an editor with Being Latino. She replied something to the effect that it was ‘cool’ because my cool quotient rose in his eyes. I was finishing an article as he was telling me about his conversation with his teacher. He asked what I was writing, and I told him that it was my latest Being Latino feature for Fox News Latino. His eyes opened wide, and he said, “You write for Fox News?” I said, “Well, sort of but not really. It’s a part of Fox News.”

“My Titi is an editor AND she writes for Fox News Latino. I have the coolest Titi of all the Titis.”

Out of the mouth of babes…

I could’t help but grin as I was suddenly cool in the eyes of a 10 year old.