When A Gesture is Vulgar

It was like any other day. I was in the lift with my 8 year old daughter. I was sending her to school. The lift took a while because traffic is usually heaviest in the mornings with residents going for work. We were in the lift. A neighbour was inside, when the lift stops further down about 4th or 6th level, a couple came in. We exchanged smiles.

Horror of all horrors! Did you know what my girl did?


She clenched her hands into a fist, and beat into the palm of her other hand. She repeated the process till we reached ground level.....


OMG!!! Did you know what that looks like? Oh No! She was just as innocent as any other child. She didn't know better! I didn't dare to look at the others in the lifts. Not sure what they thought! I just can't tell her in front of them either.

I hope they thought along the lines, no problem. She's just a kid. Or did they just snigger behind the 'masks?' Perhaps they thought.. this girl must have picked it up from home.. Thoughts ran through my mind.. oh no oh no...

In the car, I said... Rae, half whispering, half sounding in desperation. Did you know that you cannot punch your fist in your palm like that? I showed her how she did it. She asked.. "Why, Mummy? Why?" I said because that is an action of a bad word. A vulgar word... She told me her classmates in her class did that so she followed. I said, then you should tell them what your mummy told you why girls shouldn't do that.... She didn't quite understand why. I told her that it means something rude. She agreed to do that.. Well, I hope she does...