Kids these days!
I never talk about work in blogs. But couldnt resist to share an event, at an event from workplace. I was one of the committee members for a Bring your child to work programme. It was such a lovely event to spend time with the kids. They were so happy even for the silliest things . Our huge meeting room filled with balloons, marker boards, toy guns and they couldnt ask for anything more to be happy. We managed to keep their voice to reach floor – thanks to the glass walls.
One of my colleague had two daughters and they came down to the event. I guess they were 8 and 6 year olds. Our CEO’s sons as well there in the room. My colleague’s elder daughter while jumping, told me she saw their father (Our CEO) at the floor. I told her exactly, “Good” and “He is the most powerful person in our office”. I went on saying, “Just like your principal in your school”. I moved on clicking pictures later.
When I caught a moment I sat and was watching kids playing. Right then, our CEO entered our room. While I opened my mouth to request him to stand with the kids for few pics, my colleague’s daughter yelled in a high pitch as high as possible standing next to CEO looking at me, “You said he is the most powerLESS man in the office!!”. My throat got stuck and couldnt start what I wanted to say, or answer her for a whole second. I quickly came back to my senses, smiled and told her – I said the “the most powerful”. Somehow, CEO smiled and posed for few pics before he left.
Little later when I caught up with her father, I told her how nearly I could have got fired (or about to). He laughed heartily and said, thats not a big deal. He narrated another story. One of his cousin got married and planned to come to singapore for honeymoon. So he shared the news in the family “Its brand new husband” as the marriage took place very recently. I wouldnt reckon the choice of his words were right. Looks when the honeymoon couple came, right at the doorstep, the daughter asked the bride “Where is your old husband”. How my colleague handled rest of what followed was another story.
Still I couldnt accept what happened with CEO was bigger than this story. I didnt let those thoughts haunt me but moved on playing with the kids and soon – I was the most wanted man for them to play with.
So for, I roughly had an idea how careful we need be when we talk to kids, but this incident changed my opinion to another level – How carefully I need to choose what am talking and every word in that sentence should be rehearsed before. They not only observe, and they are fully capable to twist a bit to have their own fun. Am still not sure what was CEO’s stand on that moment. Fingers crossed.. 😀
If you are a parent with a kid that talks, am sure you wouldnt disagree.
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