Out of the mouths of babes

While making supper the other night Squeaker (my 9.5 year old), came into the kitchen with the most puzzled look on her face. So while I mashed the potatoes, I turned to her and said,
Me: "A cookie for your thoughts."

She started to giggle, but soon turned back to a serious look then asked me something that I wasn’t really prepared for…

Squeaker: "Mummy, I don’t understand something and was wondering if you could answer it?"
Me: "If I can, shoot."
Squeaker: "Why can’t gay people rather same sex people marry in a church."
Me: "Well, there are some people are afraid that if same sex couples who marry it would be a travesty and bring downfall on the church. Then there are those who believe that homosexuality is wrong in general. What else do you want to know?"
Squeaker: "Well I was reading in the newspaper that some church somewhere in the States that they are dead set against it and if you ask me it doesn’t seem right, not one little bit."
Me: "Well Squeaker, that’s just it. It’s not right, but you can’t tell someone otherwise."

Then Kat (my 12.5 yr old) came into the kitchen and added her 2 cents.

Kat: "These small-minded people are afraid that people who aren’t like them are freaks and need to be on some deserted island and left to die or something, just because they’re different."

I look at Kat.

Me: "Kat….."
Kat: "Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh, but so is the way people of alternate lifestyles used to be treated and some still being treated today. Personally, I think there’s nothing wrong with it. It shouldn’t matter their gender but that fact that you love the other person."
Squeaker: "These mean people are stupid-heads!"
Me: "Well other then being ‘stupid-heads’ what else do you think?"
Squeaker: "I think that they should be able to marry and have babies just like other people, if they can."
She stood there for a few minutes more (playing with the butter in the potatoes) before speaking again.
Squeaker: "Mummy. What if one day it turns out that one of us turns out to be gay. Will you and Daddy still think and love of us the same way?"
Me: "Silly girl… *rab* of course we would. Just because you choose a partner who might be the same gender as yourself it doesn’t make you any less of a person. And if one day that’s your choice, I’d be happy for you and don’t let other people tell you otherwise."

She then pushed back her glasses and headed towards the table for supper.