Can We Talk Like Adults?

This week I read about a college debate coach in Kansas who was fired for throwing out vulgar words and obscene actions toward a female debate coach from a rival college, whose words were at least as inappropriate as his.  It all took place at the end of a student debate match.  I won’t burden you with the link to the story–not real uplifting.  Let’s just say that these two “adults” were supposed to be the role models to students about what it meant to engage in healthy, positive respectful disagreement.

These days my 2 1/2 year-olds are starting to engage in altercations that are not just physical (hitting and biting) or territorial (“my toy”).  They’re starting to become intellectual, and has a lot to do with our “little red baby car.”

We own a used conversion van, which is roomy and loaded with carseats and goes anywhere where the whole family needs to go.  And then we have a practical car, a compact red Chevy Cobalt, which–though newer–mainly serves as a good gas mileage shuttle between home and work (in fact, I’m pretty sure it’s the last vehicle on earth that doesn’t have power windows…but I’m not complaining )

The #1 most popular dispute among our three 2-year-olds (by far) centers around whose turn it is next to get a ride in the “little red baby car.”  For each of them, this shuttle represents individuality and something different, and–let’s face it–red is cooler than gray in anyone’s book.

And so, constantly, 2-year-old discussions have to do with whose turn is next to ride in that car, and then whose turn is after that, and then whose turn is after that, and on into infinity.  If someone in our house wants to push a sibling over the edge, s/he simply has to insinuate that that person’s name has been mysteriously omitted from the little red baby car rotation.

I have to admit that these disputes were cute for about the first 100 times.  But as one of the two little red baby car dispute referees, I have to admit that it’s getting a little bit old.

So where do you go to get some good adult conversation?

May I suggest Hill-n-Dale’s Sunday morning Adult Bible Classes?  They meet at 9:45 every week, and we have a variety of classes, teachers and studies that fit various age groups and personalities.  The teachers have the full confidence of our elders in their ability to teach and to monitor godly adult conversation about the Bible and life (even in areas where we might not perfectly see eye-to-eye).

In many cases, the only thing missing from these classes is…your presence.

How about giving one or two a try, and see if you don’t come away with a healthy adult discussion…and maybe you’ll learn something from God’s Word too!