OT: Words and Reactions

[dragonfly]

As I was taking my kids to school today I was listening to the kids and adults talking. It's snowing out here. And you say the word snow to a child and they get all excited and happy, even if they have to walk to school in it.
Now you say snow to an adult (in general) and most will start to complain how much of a problem and bother it is....other words , such as school get the exact opposite reaction from adults and children.

I got to thinking... is our reaction to words different as adults and children?
Is it conditioned by society? Our parents, family? Teachers or friends?

And are we conscious of the reaction we have to words sometimes? Was our reaction to things said caused by the words or the person who said them?

If we consciously observe our reactions to what is said and who said it, would our reactions to what is being said and who said it change?

I was just wondering what others might think on this topic...

Thanks in advance for any feedback..

Brightest Blessings,
Dragonfly

[Gryphon]

I must ba a big kid, snow still excites me. I think reactions to words are conditioned. Take the word fag. In the US it's an insult, in the UK it's a cigarette.

[RedRonin]

I got to thinking... is our reaction to words different as adults and children?

I think it's more a difference of our circumstances in relation to the words.

As kids, snow is a day off school, sledding, snowball fights and snowmen.

As adults, it's hours sitting in traffic, sludge all over the car, wet feet and shoveling the sidewalk.

But I have to admit, going for a run in the dark with the snow falling is one of the most peaceful experiences I've ever had.  I gotta recommend it.

[Zenon]

snow is something that will never happen here, unless there is an ice age.

[dragonfly]

Zenon, please, no ice age...

Philadelphia got hit with one heck of an ice storm last Friday...the airports are still realling from it,lost luggage now seems to be the problem...

And to top it off the geniuses that run our city didn't see it fit to send out snow plows..they did send out the salt trucks, late Friday night as the storm was ending.
The storm started very early Friday morning and ended late in the night.

We're still dealing with icy pavements now.


Snow I love, ice storms I don't.

[Zenon]

Zenon, please, no ice age...

You won't imagine how hot the temperature gets here.

I used to live in a snowy place...  I never really had any complaints about snow, but it never snowed too much.  The down side was that outdoor sports were difficult to play.

[Still Kate]

I've been doing a NCFE counselling theory and skills course for nearly a year now and I've learnt about how I do and how I should react to what is said to me.   Sometimes  our reactions come from our experiences and sometimes regarding the person we are talking to .

[dragonfly]

Zenon, I love the snow, it's the ice storms I can live without.

By the way, how hot does it get where you are at?
*I only ask because you mention it*

Outdoor sports during snow days are sledding, snowball fights, making snow angels, building a snowman..LOL
And then going inside and getting hot cocoa.

[Zenon]

at worst it can get to 45 degrees celcius, that's 113 fahrenheit I think?

[Beith]

SNOW?!!!  WHERE!? WHERE?!

We've had no snow here for the last three years.  Used to be a regular thing.

I'm not sure - I think it takes a lot to override the added responsibilities of being an adult and still enjoy things.... but if you don't you may as well give up really!!

I work with teenagers and another thing I notice is that they are happy to sing, dance, whatever, in front of people.  I also work with adults in community arts and it is SO HARD to get them to do the same things my teenage students do unprompted!  I don't know why that happens, but it makes me very sad.

I keep saying to my teenage students 'don't stop doing this'.

Let's hope some of them listen  

[dragonfly]

Zenon, you can keep that weather. I'd rather deal with the ice. LOL

Fortunately, right now it is 60 degrees and going up to 75.
I want to bottle this weather.