they constantly surprise me
Conversation in the kitchen the other night while fixing dinner:
My Big Guy (he’s 12): For the Renaissance Fair can take off in partners and not stay with an adult all day as long as we check in at certain times
Me: Gee, I wonder who you’ll partner will be? Brian?
BG: I don’t know, maybe.
Me (to the little guy): Oh do you think his partner will be a girl? Who does your brother like?
LG: I don’t know…. A?
BG: No, not her?
Me: Well who do you like then?
BG: K
Me: What?!
First of all, I was not sure he liked anyone to begin with and if I had to pick a girl I thought he liked it would have been someone else based solely on the fact that he has talked about her the most. But apparently I am was sorely mistaken in my theory of how to tell who he might be interested in. That’s when it dawned on me - this might be one of those differences between boys and girls - at least my boys and girl.
See, my daughter will talk incessantly about a boy that she is interested in and deny! deny! deny! if asked about her feelings. That is exactly what I did while growing up. My son, is apparently quite the opposite. He just won’t talk about the girl - AT ALL - but at least he fesses up when asked.
Regardless of the fact that I found out just by casually teasing him, I am happy that my kids will talk to me about this kind of stuff. I NEVER talked to my parents about this kind of things - EVER. It was a good opportunity to talk to all of them (even the 8 year old) about relationships, respect, and holding off on the drama and the physical aspects of a relationship until they are older. I have seen some of the ‘couples’ at their school and it shocks me to see how they act and how willing they are to put that kind of behavior on public display. I mentioned to the kids that I realize kids their age think all that kissing, making out, and touchy feely business is a grown up thing to do and in a way it is but then I asked them to keep in mind how many grown ups they see acting like that in public. Thankfully, not too many.
So yeah, these kids of mine that I like to think I know so well can still throw me for a loop at times. It keeps things interesting :O)
My two are the same way.. matthew will tell me if i tease him about something and sam just goes on and on and on…
they grow up too fast!
too fast indeed. i was hoping that the whole liking someone thing would hold off for another year or two but i don’t get to rule the world the way i would always like :O)
at least it is still an innocent crush type of like and he does not seem interested in much else besides being her partner for the field trip and maybe eating lunch with her at school. the group thing still seems fairly important to them both.