Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Raising A Boy-Jock

Over the past couple of years, Graeson--age 8--is becoming more involved in "boy-ness" especially athletics.  He and Daddy watch the high school football games together, they practice taekwondo together, and Daddy is coaching Graeson's flag football team.  Graeson has his life all planned out:  he's going to play high school football for Mountain View Cougars, then he's going to play college football for Oregon State Beavers, then he's going to play NFL football for the New York Giants.



While his sisters spend time deciding what to wear and how to do their hair, Graeson is a get-up-and-go kind of guy.  If his mother would allow it, he'd wear the same Beaver jersey and shorts to school every day.  (And why not?  That's what Dad wears everyday!)  He has several different Beaver shirts--enough for several days of the week.  In fact, when he draws pictures of his family or of himself doing something--he draws himself in the Beaver shirt.



Here's a snapshot of recent conversations......

Sorting clothes in his closet
Mom:  You have all these nice collar shirts in the back of your closet, why don't you wear them?
Graeson:  I do wear them!
Mom:  Oh really?  When was the last time?
Graeson:  Duh, EASTER!

First day of school
Mom:  What are you planning to wear for the first day of school?
Graeson:  (blank look of I-don't-get-what-you're-asking)
Mom:  I want you to look nice on the first day of school, after that you can wear your Beaver jersey.
Graeson:  But.....why?!
Mom:  So I can get mom-points with your teacher and she'll know your mom made you dress up on the first day.
Graeson:  But I won't be able to play football at recess.
Mom:  You can still play football in a nice shirt, and besides, all your friends' moms will make them dress up too.
Graeson:  (suspicious look of are-you-trying-to-trick me)
*After we got his stuff put away in his new class, he spotted his buddies in the hall--he literally raced out the door and they all piled on top of each other like puppies!*

Another day at school
*Girls keep walking by saying Hiiiiiii Graaaaaaaaeeeson!*
Mom:  You sure have a lot of girls who say hi to you.
Graeson:  (matter-of-fact voice) Oh yeah, lots of girls have a crush on me.
Mom:  Oh really?!  Why do you think they like you?  It must be your blue eyes and cute freckles.
Graeson: (totally serious voice) Oh no, I'm sure it's because I'm really good at football.  That's why the girls like me so much.

Picture day at school
Mom:  I don't want you to wear your Beaver shirt for picture day, you have to wear a collar shirt.....you know, the Easter shirts.
Graeson:  But I like my Beaver shirt!
Mom:  I already look at that shirt every day, I don't need to look at it in your picture too.
Graeson:  (picks out a nice plaid shirt)  Can I wear shorts?
Mom:  No, it's 40 degrees outside, you have to wear pants.  What about all those jeans?  You like jeans.
Graeson:  They're all too small.  All of them.
Mom:  (retrieving the too-big-clothes from the box in the closet.....but those pants literally fall right off.  Um, still too big.)
Graeson:  I'll just wear my football pants. (warm-up type exercise pants)
Mom:  No, you can't wear football pants with a collar shirt, it doesn't go together.
Graeson:  The plaid shirt is green, and I can wear the red football pants with the white stripe--that matches!
Mom:  Um, never mind.  Wear the black football pants--I guess the picture will only show your top half anyway!

Then I asked him to practice his picture day smile.....this is what I got: