Unexpected insights that your kids surprise you with.

“They grow up so fast”. It’s a phrase most parents have heard a thousand times. Usually it’s coming from an older lady, smiling as she mentally recalls the time her children were as young as yours. But it’s not until you have one of those ‘oh my goodness’ moments that you realise just how true that saying is.

It happened to me just the other day, driving along with my kids. They were chatting away in the backseat on the way to preschool drop off. Of course I’m aware that my babies are growing up but they never cease to amaze me with new bits of ‘them’ that I just didn’t know were there.

Jacqui and her young son. Image: supplied.

I see them explore their world, they’re thirsty for knowledge and keen to learn. Of course I try and encourage their learning. We read together and speak about things that interest them but amazingly, I’ve found that it’s often while out and about in the world that they pick up the most information. They’ll slip something in conversation that will make me stop and think “where did they get that from, I had no idea they knew that!”

This particular conversation was one about vehicles. It started with a simply question from my three-year-old. “What’s a vehicle?” he said after hearing the word used in the morning traffic report. Before I could answer my four-year-old began his narrative, taking over the way big brothers tend to do. “Vehicles are ways of getting around, like cars and boats and trains and stuff.” he said, “speed boats and sail boats are vehicles as well”.

He looked at me in the review mirror for confirmation that what he was saying was true. I nodded and he continued “Sail boats use wind power. That means that they need the wind in their sails for them to move in the water”.

What is adventure from a child's point of view? Watch to find out... Post continues after the video.

His answer struck me. I know that he is a bright boy but it was more than that. His understanding was coming from a conversation that he had overheard between my husband and his father earlier in the week. Another reminder that small ears and eyes are always absorbing things. He had broken down what would have been a very adult conversation and nutted out the basics for himself.

As they do, my kids then went off on their tangent of vehicles. They started talking of imaginary trips, of adventures they would have sailing the seas. They argued over who would be the captain, who would have to scrub the deck. I had a little giggle to myself when they agreed that if they invited me, they wouldn't have to scrub the deck themselves. Uh, thanks?

It often astounds me how much our children take in from their surroundings and what they do with the new information. A simple conversation about vehicles turned into an imaginary adventure with everyone along for the ride. It’s sad that as adults we often lose that amazing sense of imagination.

"A simple conversation about vehicles turned into an imaginary adventure". Image: iStock.

And then my four-year-old looked at me and said “Mummy?” “Yes,” I replied, “If I had a sailing boat I would take you on a holiday. We could have a yummy lunch and you wouldn't have to clean the house or wash any clothes because we could just wear them swimming”.

And right there in the same conversation, they left me amazed and with a full heart. They were learning about the practical world and about other people: my little man is understanding that caring about other people is important, and cultivating a desire to actively do so.

What things have your kids said that surprised you?