A Chapter Out Of The Book Of Forever
Some things just never change.
Temperatures soared to unseasonal heights, so we thought we'd make the most of what may have been the last hot Saturday of the year. As the water slide inflated, it was obvious we had made a good decision. A gaggle of kids stood dancing nearby, squirmy with anticipation. Setting up the water slide that day at the backyard cookout gave our group of bloggers and neighbors several hours of peace as it kept that gaggle of kids busy, busy, busy.
We didn't so much as hear a peep from the kids, which pretty much made it the best picnic ever. It's always nice to get to chat without interruption from short people, so that's what we did. We talked and we laughed and we talked some more, not even pausing to take any photographs of the gleeful kids. They were off doing their thing, politely taking turns going down the slide and self-policing in a way that only well-mannered kids can.
Eventually the odds became a bit skewed as there were five girls playing and only one boy. Things had been closer to even earlier in the day, but the youngest of the kids had grown weary fast. Once the younger kids had departed, the dynamic of the play instantly changed. The group of 5-8 year olds became more competitive, more daring, and even more crazy in their play than they had been before. And then came the moment when the lone boy realized he was the lone boy.
And just like that, it became obvious that some things never changed.
We parents looked on as the one boy did what all boys do when surrounded by a group of cute girls--he started to show off. It started with some Spiderman-like climbing up the side, but when that didn't impress, he went for broke. He grabbed hold of the sprayer and began taunting the girls with it, purposely twisting it so that it would spray them in the faces.
In a completely predictable moment, the girls shrieked and ran away, only to return moments later for more torment. Of course, the boy was happy to oblige because if there is one things the male species learns early, it's that it's fun to torture girls with the same shenanigans over and over again.
After the fourth or fifth attempt to climb the slide without being assaulted by the boy with the sprayer, the girls grew annoyed. They clamored over to us so that they could tattle. Because, surely, no girl has ever done THAT before.
We debated whether or not we should intervene for a moment, but because the mother of the boy didn't seem concerned that he was dancing on the line between good fun and malicious intent, we gave the girls an idea.
"Ignore the boy," we said. "Just go play in another part of the yard."
It took all of ten seconds for the boy to put on his Annoyed Face. How dare the girls ignore him! HOW DARE THEY!
He ran off to chase them and to try to find a new way to torment them, but the girls had learned that their mothers were right. Ignoring would work. They glanced our way before stomping over to yet another part of the yard, never giving the boy so much as a glance.
Which, of course, made the boy mad. He stomped towards them, desperate for attention, but the girls kept walking away without a word.
The whole production lasted maybe ten minutes before all of the kids grew tired of the Gender Games and resumed playing nicely on the slide. But, those ten minutes, they were like a chapter out of the book of Things Have Always Been This Way.
Some things just never change.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Reader Comments (9)
I'm impressed that the girls actually listen to the moms' advice to ignore the boy!
@tehamy It took some convincing. They REALLY wanted us to do something about him. Preferably something that made them look like the poor, suffering princesses who have been wronged by the evil, terrible boy. But we persevered. Not wanting to correct someone else's kid in front of them probably had something to do with it.
How is this behavior genetically encoded? I just don't get it. (I agree that it's true, I just don't get it, is all. :-) )
@tehamy: Me, too.
@Gina: I totally understand that last part, but it is probably better this way; you have helped equip those girls for future interactions like this. Probably a good thing. :-)
This made me smile.
Genny just entered junior high and she's, for the first time, surrounded by her friends having "boyfriends", etc. With saucer eyes she came home proclaiming the wonder of it all to me. The amazingness of the popular clique, the gorgeousness of the boy ALL of the girls like, and how almost every seventh grader was "dating". I told her the truths about all of it. how the cute boy would behave, how the popular clique would rule the school, and treat those "outcasts" and how "dating" meant nothing other than a boy asking a girl out- and then they ignore each other (except for sitting together at lunch) for 2 weeks until they "break up".
Three weeks in to school she is TICKED that i predicted everything to a t. This could also go in your book of things that never change.
It is always fun (and frustrating!) to watch my son and daughter play out the same scenarios that my brother and I did years ago. It is comforting, somehow, to watch my kids do many of the same things I did (and yes, frustrating!) LOL.
Very smart move. I don't understand parents who do not speak to their child when they are miss behaving.
Sounds like the over all day was a huge success. :-)
we humans are funny creatures
I really like the title of this post. :)
Which leads to the best dating advice ever (which Alexis surely won't need until she's well into her 30s): Never chase boys. Ever. Really, you can look at my dating record and tell exactly when I've ignored such sage advice!