Kids are so awesome… they’re just missing the filter that most of us have that keep us from asking silly questions. I mean, after all, maybe there are special situations where a lion might actually be on the radio!

The other day I was driving my 5 year old home from ballet class. We were chatting about class and when we were done I started my Dave Ramsey podcast up. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Dave Ramsey I’ll just tell you that he is someone who helps people become financially secure by providing them with a plan for paying off their debts and getting their finances / investing in order. He does a radio show, live events, has some books, and more I’m sure. I may have done him a great disservice with that super brief description, but, to be honest this post isn’t about him… it’s about my kiddo and her use of context clues.

She hears Dave talking on the radio and says “who is that”.

Daughter (5 yrs): Who is that?

Me: On the radio? That’s Dave Ramsey.

Daughter: Who? Is that a man or a woman?

Me: Well, the caller was a woman. But the person talking now is Dave… and he’s a man.

Dave just finished with the previous caller and now a new caller is getting started.

Radio: … Hey, Dave. Thanks for taking my call. I was just wondering….

Daughter: What!? Why is there… Is there a lion on the radio?

Me: Huh? What did you say?

Daughter: Is there a lion on the radio?

Me: A lion? I thought that is what you said.

Now, at this point I’m not sure what is going on in her head, but I’ve learned that this one doesn’t generally ask goofy questions for no reason. There is usually some thought that actually gets her here. So I try to figure out how we got here.

Me: So…. why would you think there was a lion on the radio.

Daughter: He has a paw. (very nonchalantly)

Me: Ummm… I don’t understand. He has a paw?

Daughter: Yeah, he said “Hey, Dave. Thanks for shaking my paw”.

Me: Ahhh… I think you misheard him, kiddo. He said, “Thanks for TAKING MY CALL”.

This idea made much more sense to hear than the idea that there was a lion on the radio, but her little mind made sense of what it thought it had been presented with and didn’t skip a beat. Well, maybe enough of one to ask why a lion was on the radio, but not enough of one to rule out the possibility.

Of course, the next question was “what’s a call?”… and why is Dave taking it from this other guy (who we now know not to be a lion). I gave her the answers she sought as we continued home, all the while chuckling to myself about the lion on the radio who was thanking dave ramsey for shaking his paw.