In my opinion, adults and elders in families should be somewhat careful around what they say around young children. However, just because adults should be cautious of what they say, does not mean they should shield their children by just saying “nice things”. There are times when the brutal truth is the best way to go about things. Sometimes, the truth is what is needed for a child to understand the gravity of the situation, lest the child become ignorant of things around them. When dealing with children, the concept of “my word is my bond” is something that should be honored. When something is promised to someone and that promise is not kept, trust is lost between the two groups and then they will be less likely to trust you in the future. Regarding “just teasin” kids, I believe it is fine to do so, as long as it is made abundantly clear that is it not something to be taken seriously, to prevent a situation like the one between Hunca Bubba and Hazel from happening again all because of a misunderstanding between both parties.