Girls

When I was a kid, I remember our dog, Cookie, doing something naughty. I told her she was a "bad girl." My mom told me not to say that. Cookie was not a bad girl, she just made a poor choice. It was such a brief moment, but it really stuck with me. Never again did I say someone was a bad boy or girl. And I cringe when I hear someone else say it.

Fast forward many years. Now I am the mom. I am sitting in my room hoping my kids will eventually go to sleep when I hear Z tell W he is a bad boy. W is devastated. I go in to their room. I tell Z, W is not a bad boy. I then ask Z to say something he likes about W.

Z thinks for several moments, then retorts, "I like that he bees nice to me and not S (his older sister)."

Not exactly what I was thinking.

I bite my lip. I can't even remember what I said back. Hopefully it was something coming to S's rescue.

I'm not sure why, but W has decided that he does NOT like girls. Not only that, he has decided that everything is assigned a gender: movies, music, cups and plates, toys, even sides of the van and the accompanying door. Heaven forbid I turn on a "girl song' or have S get out on the "boy side" of the van. This is not okay with him. I am often telling him different things are for boys AND girls, not one or the other. I also have to often tell him to be nice to sisters.

Of course, it drives me crazy. But it also makes for funny anecdotes.

I was putting W to bed the other night and, while his arms are around my neck, he says, "I only like boys, I don't like girls."

I respond, "Do you like me?"

W: "Are you a girl?"

Me: "Yes."

W: ....

Me: ....

W: "Well, I almost like you."