04/02/2025
IT by Day, Gentle Parenting Negotiator by Night
So, I pick my son up from school the other day, and as weāre walking out, his teacher is right behind him. Naturally, I ask how heās doingāexpecting the usual report on his class participation, maybe a side note about his excessive energy levels.
But no.
She gives me that look and says, āHeās doing greatā¦ but today he called someone āgay.āā
Now, in my world, I go from troubleshooting server issues to troubleshooting six-year-old logic real fast. My brain immediately shifts gears from āDid I close out that ticket?ā to āWhat fresh parenting challenge is this?ā
I look at him. āWhere did you hear that?ā
Cue the classic āI donāt know.ā If you have kids, you know this means āI definitely know, but I also know I shouldnāt have said it.ā
So we get home, and now Iām in full HR-meets-gentle-parenting mode. My husband and I sit him down for The Talk.
Me: Do you know what that word means?
Him: No.
Me: Then why did you say it?
Him: I donāt know.
At this point, Iām explaining how words matter and that if you donāt know what something means, you donāt just throw it aroundāespecially if itās not kind. Meanwhile, in the back of my mind, Iām thinking how wild it is that I spend my day explaining complex IT concepts at work and then come home to negotiate with a six-year-old who somehow has more questions than a helpdesk ticketing system.
I wrap it up with, āIf youāre unsure about a word, ask an adult. And if itās not kind, thereās no need to say it at all. You can think it in your head, but we donāt put negativity into the world.ā
He nods, taking it all in. success. Crisis averted.
ā¦Until he looks me dead in the eye and says, āSo can I say it in my headā¦ and then whisper it?ā
Yāall. I troubleshoot systems for a living, but this kid is the real challenge.
