Stranger Danger!!!

Harrison, the four year old has become super social lately.  He wants to tell everyone he sees all about his whole life.  His kids (meaning his siblings), their names and ages, about how the baby came out of my tummy, all about his school etc. etc. etc.

On Monday nights we have Family Home Evening.  We Pray, we sing songs, we read scriptures, we play games, have treats, discuss hot topics with our children, teach them gospel principals etc.  Sometimes Family Home Evening is very short, other times we have two of them - one with the little kids, then they go to bed so we can really get the conversation going with our older kids.

This last Monday evening we talked about stranger danger, because Harrison needs some of that awareness in his life.  We read a story that my mom used to read to us called, "Never Talk To Strangers."  He loved the story and has been talking about it all week. 

Today we went to Costco.  He started to ask about everyone, as we were passing them, and loudly, "Are they a stranger?!"  We got lots of smiles and laughs from all the strangers we were passing by.   It was cute at first, then it got embarrassing.  We passed a short man and Harrison loudly exclaimed, "LOOK!  He's a LITTLE strange man!  Is he a stranger?!"  We passed a man who had darker skin, he was maybe from India, or the Middle East.  He had an accent.  Harrison said, "LOOK at that stranger!  He is a BLACK stranger!"  I was REALLY embarrassed.  Harrison said, "NO, mom I mean he has a BLACK coat!"  Well, he did have on a black jacket.  I am so glad that Harrison did not see the man as different from us, just that he had on a black jacket.  We met a stranger by the peanut butter.  Harrison asked the older man, "Are you a stranger?"  The man asked, "Do you know me?"  Harrison answered, "Nope."  And the man said, "Well, then I'm a stranger.  You shouldn't talk to strangers."  Harrison responded with, "I have hands."  While holding his two hands up in front of his face.  It was so random it reminded me of this zombie kid who likes turtles.  And that made me laugh. 

We then ran into some friends of ours.  I was talking to my friend and Harrison said, "Mom, don't talk to strangers."  Harrison asked her, "Are you a stranger?"  She said, "Nope. You know me."  I was beginning to realize that teaching him about strangers just gave him more reason to talk to strangers. 

After shopping we got hot dogs in the food court.  We were sitting at a table when a nice older gentleman came and asked if he could sit at our table with us.  I said, "Sure."  Harrison then went on to have a very long conversation with this stranger. 

Harrison, "I got a hot dog, do you have a hot dog?"

Man, "No, I got a hamburger."

Harrison, giggles, "They don't sell hamburgers here!" 

Man, "You mean this is a hot dog?!"

Harrison, "Yep.  What's your name?"

Man, "Jerry." 

Harrison, eyes brighten jaw drops, "I LOVE JERRY!  I was Jerry for Halloween!"

The man looked very confused.  I then explained to 'Jerry' that Harrison is OBSESSED with the Cartoon Tom & Jerry.  Harrison was nodding enthusiastically. 

Harrison, "Do you have a dad?"

Jerry, "He's not around anymore."

Harrison, "Oh, you mean he died?"

Jerry, "Yep."

Harrison, "Did he get buried?"

Jerry, "Yep."

Harrison, "Do you got kids?"

Jerry, "I have two."

Harrison, "Oh, I have 5 kids.  What are your kids names."

Jerry, "Tom & Jerry."

He said it so seriously.  I laughed out loud and Harrison's jaw dropped!  He couldn't even think to say what usually comes next, and that would've been to tell Jerry what our kids names are.  At this point Jerry was done eating.  He said good bye and left.  Harrison now wants two more brothers so we can name them Tom & Jerry.

Jerry the mouse eating some Pizza at a Halloween party.

My older kids just got home from school.  I told them all about Harrison's day of meeting strangers at Costco.  Glenn asked me if I wasn't sure that Harrison didn't get his hands on some liquor.  Little brothers can be so embarrassing.