Careful The Things You Say; Children Will Listen

We are in the middle of the current health crisis, and I haven’t gotten to see my best friend or her young daughters since February. One day, in the middle of August, my friend calls me over messenger, and she sounds a little mad.

Friend: “So. Guess what your niece did today in [Store].”

Me: “Oooh, you never call her that unless it was something good. What is it?”

Friend: “So, we’re getting groceries, and my mom shows up. We stand there for a minute, talking, and Mom coughs. Suddenly, [Niece] shouts for the whole store to hear, ‘Nana! You got [The Disease]!’”

For clarity, her mother is a smoker and has a smoker’s cough, which is what she was implying the coughing was caused by. She still sounds upset over what her five-year-old shouted, but I burst out laughing as hard as I can.

Me: “Oh, my God! Good child!”

Friend: “It’s not funny! I was so embarrassed! Mom had to get out of there before people started staring!”

Me: “Wanna know why I think this is so hilarious? Because she learned it from you! Either you or your boyfriend! So, I have no sympathy for you in this situation. Be careful what you say around your kid all the time, because she’ll think it’s normal to say.”

Friend: *Long pause* “Yeah, you’re right.”