Sunday School & a Runaway Train

Hots and I teach the Pre-K and Kindergarten Sunday school class at our church every third Sunday. 

It's L's class and we do it because we so appreciate everyone who has invested in our kiddos at church for their entire lives and think this is a way we can chip in, though it is a little outside of my box and Hots', too.  

Hots teaches the lesson (He is very good at this.) and I assist with snacks, cleanup, setup, bathroom breaks, reminding them to sit at the table during the lesson and snacks, etc, and I can tell you it has always gone very well.  (No doubt because God has his hands on it and us!)  

And then there was two Sundays ago, when we last taught.  We were reminded of two things:  God has a sense of humor and never turn our backs on 5- and 6-year-olds.

All was off to a good and predictable start (just the way I like it); kids were arriving and playing nicely.  

A couple of the girls had gotten out the craft materials and were making confetti with scrap paper and scissors while we greeted each new arrival which was fine because they are both neat and were keeping their confetti confined to the table.

A couple whose son is in our class were chatty, asking about our trip, when L interrupted, "Um, excuse me, Momma and Daddy, but S and L are cutting their hair."

"What?" I asked.

"S and L are cutting their hair.  See?" as he pointed at the girls.

We turned around to a couple of piles-piles-of hair on the table and on the ground right behind us.  

"Oh, geez," we calmly said in unison as we rushed over.

"Okay," I said, "we don't cut our hair.  Ever."

Hots reiterated, "No, we don't cut our hair or anyone else's."

Both girls are taken aback but not upset, which was good.  They put down their scissors and looked to us for our reactions so I continued, "Except when you're a teenager.  You'll probably cut your hair when you're a teenager," because what teenage girl hasn't trimmed her bangs?

We went ahead and put the scissors away after we felt they understood it was not a good idea to cut their own hair and before anyone else tried it out.  I did a quick check and found no evidence of the shearing on one head and a minor chunk taken out about two inches from the bottom of the other's on one side.  Luckily neither had decided to join the bangs movement.

A while later, Hots had gone through the lesson with the kids and was discussing showing Jesus' love to others in practical five- & six-year-old ways. 

"So," he asked the kids, "how can we show this to our friends at school?"  

There was quite a pause and he clarified, "What can we show our friends at school?"

"Well, we can't show our privates!" said one boy.

"That's right.  We never show our privates," I said, acknowledging his very true statement and trying to help Hots move the conversation in the right direction, but I wasn't fast enough.

"And we never show our panties, either!" said the girl next to him.

"Wait.  What are panties?" he asked.

This train was officially off the track.

We were able to get it back on pretty quickly and I knew we'd have some explaining to do to the parents when they arrived, which we did and they all seemed amused at our adventure that morning; even the parents of the girls who'd played barber shop.

All's well that ends well and with all that had gone on I didn't notice this until right before class was over.

Mom asked if we thought we'd lose our teaching position over this, but I'm pretty sure job security is high in the volunteer Sunday school teaching profession. :)