What is Mean Anyway?

I've been pondering the mean question for awhile...I mean it's not like I don't recognize mean people or even (as the bumper sticker points out) know that "mean people suck." I know how to be mean and people have been mean to me, but when this Nerdy Mimi is teaching first grade, mean takes on a whole new meaning!

This week we were discussing mean as it relates to being truthful. Example, "Why is it mean when I'm just telling the truth, her breath is REALLY BAD!" I think about it a minute and respond, "Well, you could, just maybe, move back a step or two, then you wouldn't smell her breath, which would make it so that you don't have to tell her it's really bad." Little Blonde Girl says, "Oh, so just pretend that I don't notice or get out of range, so that I can't smell the sewer?" What do you respond to that? Well, me with all my wisdom, decided that sarcasm would work and simply said, "Now you've got it!" Which made Blondie happy, but affirmed for Little Red Head that her breath really was unpleasant. So she kept her blowing on the palm of her hand and trying to see if it really smelled all that bad. After a couple of tries, Red head says, "You know Ms. NM, Blondie is right, it is pretty much sewer-ish." Now one would think that would be it, but of course Blondie was affirmed in a serious way and said, "Yeah, and how is it mean that I said it, but now that she realizes what I said was true, it seems I did her a favor?"

I swear, these are first graders....I have NO idea who is raising them, but I think it might be Jon Stewart/Glenn Beck/Spongebob Squarepants, because their logic defies...you got it...logic!

Next day, same Blondie....Little Freckled Boy says, "Blondie is mean, she's just mean and she doesn't even care if she's mean." Blondie, "LFB I DO care if I'm mean, but how is it mean to tell you the truth?" LFB, "You called me stupid, that's mean." Blondie, "Well you ARE stupid..."

I begin intervening, explaining that no one is really stupid, and we really should not call each other names. I explain the idea that Blondie truly knows the "truth" about who is smart and who is not is just not possible, so it would be best to keep those sorts of judgements out of their friendship. Blondie responds by saying, "Well, I won't say it any more, but you can't consider this a friendship, after all I don't make friend with stupid people."

Here is where I sigh, looks heavenward, take a deep breath, pat them both on the head and says, "Hey, let's get out our craft sticks and do some math." At least popsicle sticks don't talk back....and math is always logical, just ask my math teacher father and sister. Who knew that someday, rather than converse about levels of stupidity, I'd call on math to ease my crisis.