Thursday, May 20, 2010

A Boy's boy

When I first became a mom, when moms of boys would talk and talk about how their boys were so "boyish", I didn't believe them. I thought they were being highly overdramatic and, in fact, perhaps using it as an excuse for why their boys were so "active" and unable to follow rules during playdates. Rules like, "No climbing on coffee tables." To all those moms who I ever mentally judged, I am issuing a sincere, public apology.

Currently, Sawyer's favorite activities are: 1. Pulling up a stool to the bay window, climbing up, and running back and forth from side to side of window; and 2. Climbing up on the coffee table and dancing as if he's at a college bar, often, while naked or pantsless. Does redirection work? No. Does hiding the stools work? No, he'll just find something much more dangerous to use as a stool.
When these moms also talked about how their boys were obsessed with balls, trains, trucks, cars, and anything that moves, I mentally rolled my eyes. Why were these moms playing into gender stereotyping?? Surely, the boys weren't actually like that, they probably were just never exposed to anything besides balls and trucks, Right? Here, in the land of pink, babies, strollers, and dress-up clothes, Sawyer would surely not turn into a caveman boy - "Me like trucks, me roll ball, I am man." Again, I stand corrected. Case in point:


Sorry again, Moms of Boys. I was inconsiderate, and I apologize. I now see the error of my ways. Next time we see each other at the park, I'll give the boys a ball and you can enlighten me on things I have yet to experience like fart (ugh, I can even say the word) noises and poop jokes.

4 comments:

The Knowles said...

That picture of him in the mudhole is "priceless"! I used to say the same things as my little baby girl was cooing and making cute faces and our nephew would be racing cars around the house making annoying car sounds. I would say, "Gosh is that all that kid can do. They need to expose him to things like books and playing house!" YEAH RIGHT! I am now a mom of TWO very ACTIVE boys! I get it!

Kathy said...

Aaaaaah I NEED to see him naked dancing on the table!

genevascastle said...

That is so funny. My sister and I have talked about the same thing as she has a 5 year old girl and a 2 year old boy. Regardless of the fact that everything was pink and full of dolls he picks out the trucks and makes vvrroomm vvrooom noises all on his own!

Amy Heath-Carpentier said...

Amy HC here....

Wow - do I know it. Liam has been obsessed since birth with cars and trucks. Liam heard the intro to Talk of the Nation once and now he likes to play "Talk of the Nation - Construction Trucks" while driving... I have multiple Women's Studies related degrees, and I can't explain it. I can tell you I know more about the whole range of Caterpillar trackers than I ever thought I would.