Kids really do say the darnedest things, and sometimes you have to experience it firsthand to understand what it’s like to deal with pure, unfiltered bluntness. Occasionally, it’s wholesome, but more often than not, being around kids means accepting the chaos… and, honestly, you’ll be having a lot of fun along the way.
In today’s story, the latter happened. After our narrator dropped off his girlfriend at work, he quickly realized that he probably ought to give her a lot more credit than he had in the past. Not only did he have to handle her workload for a few minutes, but he also experienced that inevitable and awkward moment when a teacher (or someone adjacent to them) runs into a student in public.
Read more: Reddit
More often than not, we have no idea what our partners truly have to deal with at their workplace
Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)
After dropping off his girlfriend at the school where she teaches, the man’s car was immediately engulfed by kids
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The kids, instead of targeting their favorite teacher, decided to involve the man in their shenanigans
Image credits: cookie_studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Not long after meeting the kids, one student recognized the man at a mall, and a funny moment turned awkward very fast
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Turns out, the kid’s mom is introducing religion to the boy, and he ended up praying for the teacher in the middle of a store
Image credits: anon
Awkward moment after awkward moment, the man quickly realized his girlfriend had the patience of a saint
Today’s original poster (OP) went on an unexpectedly wild ride after deciding to drop his girlfriend off at work. As it turns out, she’s a middle school teacher, and just as he was dropping her off, her students quickly spotted their (likely favorite) teacher and, of course, their newest target: the teacher’s boyfriend.
At first, the car was surrounded by two kids who wanted to: 1. find out who the mysterious new face was (the OP), and 2. open the door for their teacher, which is in itself quite wholesome. However, the kid who opened the door suddenly made a rather random admission, saying that his dad used to open the door for his mom but stopped because he is now gay. Imagine keeping a straight face after this.
Well, the OP made the mistake of laughing at the random comment, which then evolved into him having to assure the kids that he likes gay people (but not romantically, which was important to add after some misunderstandings). Meanwhile, the girlfriend was holding her laugh at the sight of the OP being eaten alive by kids in just a few minutes, and of course, the story didn’t end with the two curious boys.
More kids began surrounding the car, with the most unhinged requests, including asking the man to spell “gargantuan,” because why not, and the OP’s girlfriend needed to educate everyone around her — yes, both the kids and the boyfriend alike. It was a wild ride that will be quite unforgettable, especially because it did not just end there — oh no. The update that the OP posted made the story even more unhinged.
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
In a separate post, the OP shared how he later ran into one of the kids at the mall while grocery shopping and was approached by both the child and his dad. After noticing the menstrual pain medication the OP was carrying, the kid decided, right then and there, to pray for his teacher’s period pain. Once again, the OP found himself in an awkward situation, this time accompanied by a very apologetic father.
Now, this moment was harmless, but anyone who has dealt with kids knows how important it is to let them speak their minds, even if their bluntness and honesty can be awkward at times. Pros point out that middle schoolers, in particular, are still developing their social filters. Their brains are still maturing, so to them, what they say doesn’t feel awkward. It’s simply how their minds work.
So, how do you deal with that kind of bluntness? Parenting experts suggest that when a child is still developing their filter (or lack thereof), patience is key. Being patient and understanding goes a long way. From there, you can gently explain whether their comments crossed a line, and why. This helps build their social awareness, even if bluntness is a natural part of their personality at that stage.
For teachers especially, patience is a must, and the OP quickly realized that his girlfriend handled the situation far better than he did. Interestingly, many commenters were more surprised by the fact that the kid at the mall was sitting inside a shopping cart than by the situation itself. So, what would you have done if you were the OP at the store?
Netizens’ concerns fell into an entirely different place than one might expect
