On The Road

August 28, 2009

Kids say the darndest things

Posted by Julia Cross
Where: Story Time, North Vancouver

One of my favourite activities as a Community Outreach representative for BC Hydro is the story time program.

Story times are designed to educate the next generation about the importance of energy conservation through enlightening stories and fun, interactive activities. Needless to say, story time is rewarding. The children are often eager to learn about energy conservation and more often than not, excited to tell us about how they plan on doing so.

No story time is ever the same. The children are always interested in who their visitors are and want to speak with us. We have heard some very interesting answers to our questions this term at story time events. Early in the term, I asked a group of children if they knew what BC Hydro makes and they answered me with: “Ice cream! Pizza! Light bulbs!” Their responses implied they were attentive, but most of all, they were adorable.

There is always some way that children manage to avoid the conservation-related question we’ve just asked them. Kids do this unintentionally and it is hilarious. I recently had a conversation with a five-year-old girl at Froggy Pad Daycare who, after being asked a water-saving question, proceeded to tell me that “[her] Daddy overflowed the water in the toilet and it was not good!”

What I have learned about children through working as an Outreach representative is that they love to talk to you and tell you stories. The best way to handle this is to redirect the conversation to the original question. So, I then said to the girl, “Oh, wow! That’s no good, but did you turn off your tap when you brushed your teeth that same evening?” And after some thought, she replied, “Yes, I did!” with much enthusiasm.

I have had a countless number of funny responses from kids over the summer. When asked to name a kind of green energy, a child responded with “lightning!” I thought to myself, “Ah, if only we could channel lightning.”

Children are so creative and that is what I love about speaking with them. On a separate occasion, when asked about their conservation drawing on the seed paper we provided at a story time, a boy told a fellow representative that when he planted his seed paper, that it would grow into a statue in his backyard.

And I will never forget the story time when I was crouched next to a little girl asking her how she can save electricity; she excitedly responded with “well, by saving it, of course!” before leaping onto me and knocking me over.

Kids do indeed say the darndest things. The children I have encountered this summer are both intelligent and eager to learn. Although they do not always tell us exactly the answer we are looking for, I know that they take with them an important message.

There is nothing more gratifying than having a child promise you that they will turn off their lights and televisions and turn off the tap when brushing their teeth. I know that these children take our energy conservation messaging to heart. Despite the countless hiccups at story time events, we are making a difference, one amusing conversation at a time.

Julia Cross is a Community Outreach representative based out of North Vancouver and will be at community events throughout the summer.