TheMommyBlog

My mom raised us in as gender-neutral a household possible given being a divorced mom to a boy and a girl born twelve months apart. See? That's still funny to me. I chuckle.

Never one to let biological determinism taint my Weltanschauung, I set about raising my children the same way. The first flags went up as the boys both became mobile, and then a whole field of flags flew up once our daughter was born. They liked all the same things, but viewed them verrrry differently. According to sex, I must wearily admit, as another naive parent falls victim to belief in nurture over nature.

Give my daughter a sandwich, and she will open and close a corner, making kissing sounds. Give one of the boys the same sandwich, and he will chew it into the shape of a gun and wipe out the entire household.

At least there's the public school system, ready to teach broader ideals, such as Healthy Choices. I'm dying over their Healthy Choices. They dutifully spit out the exercises, essays, drawings, and principles, and then come up with something out of a NEVER, EVER DO THIS manual.

I give you my daughter, making Healthy Choices by exercising with her jump rope, drinking lemonade, and wearing a helmet while riding her skateboard. All in a hoop-skirted, puffy-sleeved, eighteenth-century ball gown.