Ageism??

Is it possible for children to be age-ist?

J-man often talks himself to sleep. It's when he's laying down that the deep wonderings of his heart come out. I don't know why exactly. Except that when he's laying down in bed, he's still and his thoughts turn deep. 

One night, in the middle of this time there were a series of questions that culminated in one large 'ouch' moment.

J-man asked about belly buttons. More specifically he wanted to know what they were for.
So I told him. "That's where you were attached to me, when you were INSIDE me as a baby, so you'd get food."

He seemed to think that's cool.

"Adam and Eve didn't have belly buttons, did they?"

"Well, I'd guess not. Since they didn't have to be in a mommy's tummy."

We both agreed that was cool of him to notice.

"How old were they, when they died?"

Understand that I'm not sitting with him without something to do. I'm either writing, reading or researching. I consider Pinterest research.

So I just say, "Well they were really old." I don't want to age them unnecessarily. Or tell him the wrong answer because I'm quite certain he'll remember the wrong answer. 

"How old?"

"I'm not really sure. I know they were really old."

"Like 30?"

Ouch. Said the 39 year old mom.

"Oh, no. Much older."

You know it's coming.

"Oh? Like 40?"

Ouch again. 

"No, son. Like in their hundreds. Hundreds of hundreds."

"Oh."

Fast forward a few days later.

The Professor is having his birthday. We celebrating on a minor scale because that's how The Professor roles. (Slow.)

"Dad, how old are you anyway?"

"Well, son. I'm 43."

"Wow, I'm really surprised you made it this long."

Ouch.

I've come to the conclusion that my son is age-ist. Age-ist as only an 8 year old can be. 

I'm turning 40 on my next birthday and I'm really not sure I want to tell him.