Reel it back....

There I was sitting. Enjoying an evening out with adults. Good food. Good drinks (read that as ADULT beverages).

I was relishing in being out. On a school night. Talking amongst adults.

Then I was stuck. In the middle.

Between two men seriously on opposing ends of a topic. Apparently a hot topic.

Education.

What is currently wrong with the system. Ways people are fixing it. How to fix it overall.

A genormous topic, right? There's no 'right' or 'wrong' answer since the issues are so diverse based upon region. Based upon state. Based upon city. Based upon community. Based upon individual school.

But these two guys. These men were deeply entrenched in their own thoughts. Their own stance on the topic.

Both these men. Who had NO CHILDREN.

Yes. You read that correctly. These two adult men were having a serious discussion about education. And they had no children.

Now me? A parent to two kidlings? I stayed out of the conversation for the most part. I interjected a couple small snippets.

The lady across the table? She stayed silent too. Uh....she used to be an elementary school teacher.

Well...I stayed out of it until they hit some bump in the road where I felt I needed to jump in.

"Wait. Wait. WAIT! Now Lyn here used to actually used to TEACH elementary school aged kids. Maybe SHE has a practical hands-on opinon on this one..."

Yes. That's what I did. I threw a wrench in the heated discussion. That someone who was actually IN THE TRENCHES was sitting across the table from these boys. Observing. Listening to these boys.

Once she finished speaking, I kind of jumped back in

"Well, I went to the elementary schools in our area before I signed my daughter into kindergarten and I found...."

I have to say that they stopped in their tracks once she and I put in our two cents into the mix. That our experiences weren't theoretical. That it was hands-on. Seeing kids. Being around kids.

I just find it funny when people in general have such strong opinions on whatever topic. Topics where they have no actual experience in. LIke my SIL who commented on her pregnant cousin "OMG! She gained SO much weight during her pregnancy." Who knows HOW my SIL would be as a pregnant person. Who knows if she'd only gain 15 pounds. or even 60 pounds? She's never been pregnant! So I feel she's got NO RIGHT to have been so nasty in her evaluation of her cousin.

It just continues to blow me away when I meet these people! Just reel those opinions back in people. Put a leash on it!