Shamed by my Son
I always say I learn a lot from my kids- more than I teach them. Tonight was a great example.
My son is fairly reserved- not shy- reserved. He's smart. Not just "in my eyes" smart, but "test score" smart. For what that's worth.
He's also pretty darn cute.
And the girls in his class think so, too. I get the "You're Skip's mom.... hi...." winky looks at the school. When I chaperoned a trip with another school, the girls immediately befriended me. Because I was "that boy's" mom.
Rough life, I know.
Tonight we had a holiday party that we attended as a family.
My friend was there with her daughter. Her daughter goes to the magnet school we want our son to attend. He has been hesitant about applying. I don't know if he'll get in or not, but we really want him to apply. Our zoned middle school is pretty good, so if he chooses not to, we're still good. We want it to be his choice. But we want his choice to be our choice. You know what I mean.
My friend's daughter is also cute. Which we thought might help our cause to encourage him to apply.
They seemed to hit it off. They talked. They were laughing.
We left them alone. We didn't want to be pushy.
Then, of course, after we left, we teased the snot out of him.
Because we are parents and that's what we do.
We were teasing him because she was cute.
Have you ever been put in your place by an 11 year old?
He was almost offended by it-- not by the teasing-- but because the girl also happened to be really smart and very funny. THAT was why he was talking to her. And he wasn't kidding. She was cute, but he talked to her because he could have a conversation with her. He simply liked talking to her.
He didn't say he didn't think she wasn't cute. He didn't say he didn't notice.
But he, in a few words, put me in my place.
Because apparently there is more to a girl than just her looks.
This young lady is pretty awesome, too.
But we focused on the fact that she is cute.
We suck.
My 11 year old son focused on the fact that she was smart and easy to talk to.
Far more important characteristics.
Oops.
My son has made comments about girls that like him-- cute ones, too-- that he doesn't have time for all their drama.
Smart girls are worth talking to, in his eyes.
I'm impressed. With him. Not with me. Because apparently, despite my ardent feminist opinion that women are more than a body and a baby machine, I really am stuck in 1954.
But I have to say, I have a strange feeling that I am going to have a pretty kick-butt, smart, funny daughter-in-law some day and not some cutesy bubble head. Because he knows what's important.
Unlike his parents. Ee gads. So much to learn!!
Oh- and he is definitely applying to the school now.
Thanks for keeping it real, son!
My son is fairly reserved- not shy- reserved. He's smart. Not just "in my eyes" smart, but "test score" smart. For what that's worth.
He's also pretty darn cute.
And the girls in his class think so, too. I get the "You're Skip's mom.... hi...." winky looks at the school. When I chaperoned a trip with another school, the girls immediately befriended me. Because I was "that boy's" mom.
Rough life, I know.
Tonight we had a holiday party that we attended as a family.
My friend was there with her daughter. Her daughter goes to the magnet school we want our son to attend. He has been hesitant about applying. I don't know if he'll get in or not, but we really want him to apply. Our zoned middle school is pretty good, so if he chooses not to, we're still good. We want it to be his choice. But we want his choice to be our choice. You know what I mean.
My friend's daughter is also cute. Which we thought might help our cause to encourage him to apply.
They seemed to hit it off. They talked. They were laughing.
We left them alone. We didn't want to be pushy.
Then, of course, after we left, we teased the snot out of him.
Because we are parents and that's what we do.
We were teasing him because she was cute.
Have you ever been put in your place by an 11 year old?
He was almost offended by it-- not by the teasing-- but because the girl also happened to be really smart and very funny. THAT was why he was talking to her. And he wasn't kidding. She was cute, but he talked to her because he could have a conversation with her. He simply liked talking to her.
He didn't say he didn't think she wasn't cute. He didn't say he didn't notice.
But he, in a few words, put me in my place.
Because apparently there is more to a girl than just her looks.
This young lady is pretty awesome, too.
But we focused on the fact that she is cute.
We suck.
My 11 year old son focused on the fact that she was smart and easy to talk to.
Far more important characteristics.
Oops.
My son has made comments about girls that like him-- cute ones, too-- that he doesn't have time for all their drama.
Smart girls are worth talking to, in his eyes.
I'm impressed. With him. Not with me. Because apparently, despite my ardent feminist opinion that women are more than a body and a baby machine, I really am stuck in 1954.
But I have to say, I have a strange feeling that I am going to have a pretty kick-butt, smart, funny daughter-in-law some day and not some cutesy bubble head. Because he knows what's important.
Unlike his parents. Ee gads. So much to learn!!
Oh- and he is definitely applying to the school now.
Thanks for keeping it real, son!
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