But It IS an Emergency!

The Boy is a talker. It may take him a little while to get warmed up to the idea of talking to someone new, but once he is comfortable, he will tell you like it is about everything in the world. He also asks a lot of questions. What 3 year old doesn't? I often wonder if his mind ever shuts off. He is one of those kids that remembers everything and thinks about what you have said so he can later utlize it in one of his discussions about why he thinks birds need us to give them water or why he thinks God should have made everything in the color blue. I know it is cliche, but kids do say the darnedest things and my boy makes me laugh A LOT. I don't always laugh outloud, but my heart laughs when we have conversations like the one below.

We sat in traffic at a particular stoplight that I absolutely hate on the way home last night. And, by the way loving husband, going through the park to get home is not faster by any stretch of the imagination. In front of us sat a police car. Our fine friend in blue was talking on his cellphone. I assume he was off duty and on his way home as well. I had the great fun of trying to explain what an emergency is to the police and what constitutes being in trouble to the police to my son. I never imagined having this conversation with a preschooler, but hey here it went.

The Boy: What is that police man doing?
Momma: He is sitting in traffic like us talking on his cell phone.
The Boy: Why is he doing that?
Momma: He must have someone important to talk to.
The Boy: Like his daddy?
Momma: Maybe.
The Boy: Why doesn't he have his lights and siren on?
Momma: Well, police cars only have those things on when it is an emergency or if someone is in trouble.
The Boy: Like when Rex hits me at school, then the lights would be on? Rex is in trouble then.
Momma: Well, that isn't enough trouble for the police to come. It would have to be big trouble like when someone steals money from a bank. Or if someone is really hurt.
The Boy: Oh, so if Lorelai (this is what he calls the baby) got my step stool and took money from my piggy bank, the police would come?
Momma: Well, no, if she did that, the police wouldn't come, but Momma and Daddy would put her in time out. But, if someone we didn't know where in our house trying to take stuff, then the police would come if we called them.
The Boy: They would want to take my piggy bank, it has a lot of money in it. I get an allowance.
Momma: I know, but we don't call the police unless it is really an emergency.
The Boy: That would be my emergency.

I guess for him, that would be an emergency. I really have to think about how to get him to understand when to call. He already knows the number.