One of the best things about the return of dogs to our household, are the morning walks to school with the boys. It’s during these walks the dogs are exercised, and the conversation runs freely. This is when I learn about the complexities of Minecraft, the best of the Percy Jackson books as well as how T.Puzzle still favors Goldfish as a snack above all else. I love these walks.
As the boys get older, the dynamic of these conversations has already began to shift. While I used to be the central figure, the boys are realizing that talking directly to each other is important, too. Here’s a snippet of a recent dialogue they exchanged:
Full Speed: “T.Puzzle you are going to have an awesome time on your field trip to the zoo. When I went in first grade with my class, my favorite was the reptile house. That’s kind of where the boys really want to go because it is so cool.”
T.Puzzle: “Yeah, I really want to go there. Anyway, where do girls want to go at the zoo?”
Full Speed: (He pauses clearly perplexed) “I’m not sure where they like to go. Maybe the petting zoo? They might like to pet a horse.”
This is when it struck me. I am basically shaping their worldview of feminism. Pressure, much?
However, I am determined to show my boys that girls are fearless around reptiles, too. I guess that means when we go to the zoo over spring break, we are heading straight to the reptile house.
I apologize to the sisterhood in advance.
