Learning to Talk to Strangers

with the store opening in less than a week, things have been hectic around here to say the least.The boys have created a game that has an important purpose. They are practicing meeting and greeting strangers that need to find items in the store. Since they both have had their hands on virtually everything in the place, they have memorized each item's location. The game is played as follows:

One boy is the customer. The other one is given an *item* to find and then says "right this way ma'am or sir"..leading the 'customer' to the item. It is quite cute and I think they are also trying to grow accustom to talking to people they do not know well.

That is the one thing that makes me uncomfortable about this whole venture. I don't like it when children just go up to any adult and talk to them without any idea of who that adult is or with not reservation. I had to tread very carefully around this issue when explaining how we talk to customers whom we may not actually know but where do we draw the line? We have decided that they boys can talk to anyone and tell them where something is located but are never to leave the store with anyone except me. They seem comfortable with those boundries and in all actuality, their play area is a fenced in place directly attached to the store that is only accessible through the private potting room door so they are not just running around helter skelter. Do I sound as if I am convincing you or myself? I admit it, I worry about so much exposure to people but that is my comfort level and they are luckily used to exclaiming their thoughts if someone tries to make them do anything.

Who knows? May be this experience will allow my trust in humans to increase a little. Dont count on it but it could happen.

Until next week..

Amy atb

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