Thursday, October 25, 2012

Polished



OK, maybe I should explain this one.

So, Cooper, my 7-year old son, has some nail polish on his fingernails (it just looks like a sprinkling of glitter and glue).   

He wore it to school, and some of the kids made fun of him-- even a girl who has been a close friend to him.  Of course, it hurt his feelings.  We asked him if we wanted to remove the fingernail polish, and he said that he didn't want to.  So, for the past few days, to show my solidarity with him, I've been wearing the same fingernail polish--because, goddammit, that's what I'm going to do.  

To make a long story short, things between Cooper and this girl have been getting weird lately (like, she demands that he play with no one else, and then runs away from him-- stuff like that).  So, today, the moms decided to sit them down and try to resolve some of what's going on.  At least, that's what Nina thought was happening.

Instead, the other mom just attacked Cooper, and defended her little angel.  One of the things that this girl's mother said in order to justify her daughter's behavior was, that "Boys don't wear fingernail polish."  

Fine, that's her opinion.  I don't care what her opinion is.  She can fold her opinion into a paper airplane and fly it up her own ass.  But, you know what?  If you, as an adult, say to my son, that he's somehow not being a boy correctly, then I get upset.  I get Damn Upset.  

It's hard enough being a kid, trying to figure out how to get along in what is, in many ways, a primitive and backward society, while maintaining your individuality.  The last thing he needs is some brainless adult debasing him.  He's too young, and too much of a freethinker, to worry about 1940's ideas of how a grown man is expected to behave by society.  He's a kid.  He's an amazing, creative, playful spirit.  And, I'm as proud as I can possibly be of him.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go reapply my fingernail polish.








7 comments:

becky said...

Oh, that's terrible - poor Cooper! What an awful situation. Our rigidly conformist society really makes me grumpy; especially when a nice little 7 year old has to suffer as the result of it. Bleh. I hope he's doing okay!

Kenny P. said...

Thanks! He's fine. He's sensitive, but he's a strong kid.

Frimmy said...

Way to support a free thinker! I can't believe any parent would presume to criticize any child for their fashion choices. I kind of feel sorry for her kid.

Adam Tavares said...

I feel bad for that little girl too. Having a mother that judgmental must be no picnic. No wonder she's developing into a selfish little tyrant. Let's hope she doesn't become her mother.

Look on the bright-side, at least your son is learning how a nasty girlfriend behaves at 7, so with a little guidance he'll learn how to spot them when he's 17, saving him and you some serious grief.

Patrick said...

I'm not sure exactly how I stumbled onto your blog, but from this one narrow window of an example, you're the kind of father I hope I can be someday :)

Kenny P. said...

Thanks for the supportive comments, friends!

Girl Doodle said...

People can be so closed minded. She needs to look at the look at the entire situation and realize that her sweet little angel has the ability to act like a sweet little asshole. Looking for a reason to blame the other kids does no good, and probably causes more problems.