(Or on Puff the Magic Dragon and masculinity.)
One of my favourite sources for kids’ music is Cover Lay Down’s Kidfolk series. Not too long ago, one of Boyhowdy’s featured tracks was a version of “Puff the Magic Dragon” by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary fame. “Puff” is a song that I remember fondly from my own childhood, one that my Dad used to sing to me. Hearing it again after a couple of decades, I was struck by how sad a song it is – little boy grows up and leaves his childhood behind. Nonetheless, it has made it into my boys’ bedtime regime. In fact, it has become Boy Z’s “favourite”.
But after a couple of nights, I jettisoned the new version featured on Cover Lay Down for the Peter, Paul and Mary original from the early sixties. Over two little words in the second verse.
The original…
“Dragons live forever,
But not so little boys…”
Yarrow’s modified version…
“Dragons live forever
But not so little girls and boys…”
It’s Yarrow’s song, so I guess if he wants to bugger up the meter he’s well within his rights. But the awkward meter, as you probably guessed, isn’t my main problem. No, the problem is that this is a song about a little boy. In my experience, in fact, it’s a song for little boys and their fathers. Why can’t it remain so? That relationship is an important one and, in many cases, an unfortunately uncommon one. In the ongoing quest for gender equality, does everything have to become ‘gender neutral’?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m as much of a feminist as the next guy. Actually more of a feminist than most next guys. Especially in Australia. I believe firmly in gender equality at every level of society. But while I believe that men and women, boys and girls, are equal I do not believe they are the same. Anyone who does is misguided, if not delusional. We’re biologically different, we’re genetically different, we’re psychologically different, we have different life experiences and develop differently as children. That being the case, what’s wrong with having songs for boys and songs for girls? And songs for both? Why do we have to pretend that the experience of growing up as a boy is the same as the experience of growing up as a girl?
Maybe I’m a chauvinist, but for me “Puff” is a boy’s song and when I sing it, I sing the original.
I’ve been thinking a lot about masculinity lately. I had coffee with a new friend last week who’s working on his second book – a memoir about men and their relationships with one another. And that conversation spurred me to think about my relationships with men, which have traditionally been pretty poor. Most of my good friends in the last twenty years or so have been women. I’ve never been particularly comfortable in the company of men; always felt like I was on the outside looking in. That’s changed in the last few years and these days I’m a lot more at ease around blokes. (The secret? Talk about sports.*) Now I’ve got boy children and I want those boys to be able to move effortlessly into the fraternity of men if that is their wish. It will make adolescence much, much easier.
And those boys, especially the older one, are looking to me as a model of masculinity. Boy Z idolises me, and it’s a slightly disconcerting feeling for me. I’ve thought of myself as a lot of things in my life, but a role model has never been one of them. For the next several years, I’m likely to be the predominant male role model in my boys lives. I’ve only recently worked out how to be a man. Poor bastards.
And I think “Puff the Magic Dragon” offers one of those lessons. It is OK to have things for boys. It is OK to have things for girls. This doesn’t mean that boys are better than girls or that girls are better than boys. It means that boys and girls are different. Writing that down makes it seem retrograde and reactionary. ‘Different but equal’ sounds a little bit like ’separate but equal’. Maybe I’m setting back gender relations in my own small way. But I think we’d be silly to pretend that raising boys and raising girls is the same process. I know it’s just a kid’s song, a folly, but for me “Puff” will always be a song for little boys.
And I’m glad to have it.
——————————
Peter, Paul and Mary’s original version of “Puff the Magic Dragon” is one of many great tracks on “The Very Best of Peter, Paul and Mary”, available from 
.
Broken Social Scene’s dreamy cover is available on a compilation called “See You On the Moon! – Songs for Kids of All Ages” also available from .
* And ladies.
Peter, Paul and Mary "Puff the Magic Dragon" [3:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Peter and Bethany Yarrow "Puff the Magic Dragon" [4:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Broken Social Scene "Puff the Magic Dragon" [5:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadPopularity: 9% [?]
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by Monty
25 Mar 2010 at 22:12
Couldn’t agree more.
I used to really love that track, and if I weren’t inclined to be macho about it, would say I still do.
But I am inclined to be macho about it, so yeah, I really liked it back in the days.
by Jacob
25 Mar 2010 at 22:29
There are aspects of the way many people raise their daughters differently that I loathe. So many people raise their daughters to be helpless and lazy. I don’t mean lazy as in not willing to do work. Girls tend to be more likely to do classwork that they’re asked to do. I’m talking about anything physical. Getting a girl to break a sweat, even when they’re supposed to be an athlete is nearly impossible. I know some things with the differences between girls and boys are more natural, but I think behaviors are very strongly linked to culture. Boys may naturally be more aggressive, but there’s a reason that the US is so overwhelmingly dominant in women’s sports, even in sports like soccer where the sport isn’t strong culturally. Despite the fact that I think many women were raised contrary, we tend to encourage athleticism in women more here than they do in many other countries, I think.
Basically, boys are usually raised where they’re criticized for showing weakness or lack of fight. Competitiveness is actively encouraged and they’re pushed to stick up for themselves. The girls on the other hand tend to be more coddled, which is a bad idea, in my opinion. If I had a daughter, I’d do my best to push her to stand up for herself and not be a pushover. There are too many guys out there who take advantage of weak women for me to want to let my daughter be one of those. Then again, I grew up with very strong and unemotional (in a good way) women in my life. My mom is rational and calm and even though she repeats church doctrine that the woman should be submissive, she and my dad have always been very much equals in their marriage. She wouldn’t have allowed herself to be submissive, but she’s not looking to dominate either. My sister was always competitive. I cry more than she does, and I wouldn’t want to be the guy who tried to take advantage of her. I know that different people will be different, but why would you want your daughter to be weak and more likely a victim. Who cares if that’s “attractive” in a girl? Why would you want her to attract the type of guys who want a submissive woman?
But as to your actual comments, I agree entirely. Having protagonists/stories/songs you can identify with is important for all kids. We were actually studying in some of my librarian classes recently about how minority students are more likely to read when there are books with main characters they see as being more like them. I don’t think this creates walls in culture. I think it creates confidence knowing that you’re not the only one like you out there and makes becoming a part of the overall culture that much easier.
Jacob´s last blog ..A Short, Poorly Crafted Proverb
by Jill/Twipply Skwood
25 Mar 2010 at 22:37
This little boy got a horrible black eye in my class last week (total and complete fluke accident) and I totally surprised myself by how in my panic over the whole thing I quickly I reverted to totally gender stereotyped language. “Now you can tell everyone you’re a bruiser!” and “You must be really tough! You can be our doorholder for the rest of the month!!!!” (our doors are really heavy) and even, “You’ve been so brave and strong! You’re such a tough guy! Not that I would ever use gender stereotyped language in the classroom!”
The thing is, as far (so far!) as we’ve come, we’re still so very far away from “gender equality at every level of society” that I think those sort of absurd things will just happen now and again. We’re still struggling to find out how it can all work, so things get overcompensated for here and there.
It is funny though – I never thought of Puff as particularly pointed toward boys. It was the second song I ever learned on guitar (at age 11, right after Neil Young’s “Needle and the Damage Done”). I always thought of it as a children’s song and not particularly a boy’s song. But I guess that just comes with having grown up a girl.
Jill/Twipply Skwood´s last blog ..You Can Totally Sin on the Way to Home Depot and Not Even Worry About It
by arizaphale
25 Mar 2010 at 23:11
If it’s a matter of gender claiming songs, you can have that one; along with ‘Two Little Boys’ by Rolf Harris. Be my guest. Enjoy!
I used to think gender behaviour was cultural rather than natural until I had my own daughter. Raised with two boys as her chief playmates and with a plethora of gender neutral toys at her disposal, she would naturally gravitate towards the dolls and the dress-ups as surely as one of the boys went for trains. The other little boy also leaned towards dress-ups but that’s a whole other story!!!!!
arizaphale´s last blog ..Back To Back, Goodbye, and A Journey
by The Unbearable Banishment
25 Mar 2010 at 23:30
I live with two daughters and a wife. I am drowning in the estrogen sea and am a convert to the cause of women. But I agree with you. You have to be cautious not to strip away the soul of a piece just to be correct. It’s a slippery slope.
I had daughters and it’s a damn good thing I did. I don’t play sports, hunt or fish, fix cars, know anything about home repair or any of that guy-oriented stuff. I’m a much better father to a daughter than I could ever be to a son. Amen.
The Unbearable Banishment´s last blog ..Tennessee’s unholy mother from hell
by SciFi Dad
25 Mar 2010 at 23:54
Like you, the majority of my friends are women, and like you, the reason is that I’ve always felt more comfortable there. (Also: sports and women have saved my ass more times than I care to count.)
I was relieved when my daughter was born, because I KNEW I would get along with her (and I do). However, what’s interesting is that, for all intents and purposes, I’m learning that I get along better with my son now than my daughter. It could easily be an age thing, given that she turns five next week and therefore knows everything, but it could also be a boy thing.
SciFi Dad´s last blog ..Mumee!
by Cat
26 Mar 2010 at 01:23
Yankee used to sing Puff to Hippie at night, but she made him change the words. Not to be gender neutral, but because she thought was too sad. In their version the boy stays a boy.
I’m a huge feminist who believes that men and women should be treated completely equal, but that men and women(and boys and girls) are two different creatures and that should be recognized too. Those natural differences have served our species well for millions of years. Unfortunately, societies have perverted those differences to the detriment of some men and many, many women. Instead we should honor the differences.
As for the US being, better at women’s sports, that is a great example of different but equal and can be attributed 100% to Title 9.
Cat´s last blog ..It’s Way Too Late
by Technobabe
26 Mar 2010 at 01:38
Actually I agree with you on this issue. I don’t see why the pendulum has to be swung all the way over to where everything has to include both sexes. I don’t want things to eventually be generic. I like it that there are guys and there are girls. If a girl feels like a guy, then she can be a guy. If a guy feels like a girl, he can be a girl. All that is okay. We all need to be what we are inside.
Technobabe´s last blog ..Learning Curve
by Gappy
26 Mar 2010 at 02:00
Yes men and women are of course different. We are different biologically and chemically like you say.
The trouble with the concept of equal but different is that whilst true, an awful lot of men (and I’m not suggesting for a second that you’re one of them) use it to justify ideas and perpetuate status quos that thrive on womens oppression.
For example: Equal but different – the difference being that you have the babies and should therefore stay at home all the time being wholly or mostly responsible for the childcare, while I go out to work all week and spend evenings and weekends enjoying a social life.
Or: Equal but different – the difference being that you have inferior spatial awareness and therefore can’t drive to save your life.
See what I mean? It’s a tricksy concept. I would agree that there are psychological differences between the sexes too, but I believe these are more down to centuries of social conditioning. I don’t believe that women are innately more neurotic for example. But living in a world in which we are routinely treated as weaker and less capable has made us so.
Anyways this is your space, not mine, so I’ll shut up now. What I originally wanted to say was that I had no idea Puff the Magic Dragon was a boys song. Am I missing a trick? I can’t remember all the words but I remember loving it as a kid.
Gappy´s last blog ..Happiness MeMe
by April
26 Mar 2010 at 02:19
That song was my little brother’s favorite growing up too.
I am a very strong believer in the inherently different natures of the male and female brains. Sure there can be things for girls and there can be things for boys, but most things are for boys. There aren’t many iconic songs like Puff with a girl protagonist. The conventional wisdom has been that girls will be fine with things where boys are at the center, but boys wouldn’t be attracted to the reverse (research suggests this isn’t so, but adults push the idea on kids). So most “gender neutral” books, stories and the like have featured boys. As a little girl I remember thinking where are the characters like me in these books, on TV. The “girls” stuff was all my little pony and rainbow bright, vapid and boring, the boys stuff was much more exciting, but was labeled as for boys so I shouldn’t like it or else I’m a freak. So I hope you’ll excuse us for a little desire for inclusion, little girls like to see themselves in music and stories as much as little boys, and the good role models for those girls are a lot harder to come by then the boys.
April´s last blog ..UP!
by edenland
26 Mar 2010 at 10:26
I saw the title of your post, and instantly recognized those words. They were ingrained in me.
When I was a child, I played the organ …had full organ lessons and everything. The best song I could play, was Puff the Magic Dragon. I could play it by heart, and even at the tender age of nine I understood the lyrics and was sad that children grew up to be adults.
It didn’t matter that the song didn’t mention “little girls” in it at all, I was a girl and it was still my favourite.
The comments written here …. by fathers who love their daughters, are making me WEEPY.
Your beautiful boys are just divine mate. Well DONE.
XO
PS I’m trying to track down some networks of Aussie bloggers, do you have any leads?
edenland´s last blog ..Fringe Dweller
by NATUI
26 Mar 2010 at 13:16
Another total agreement here. As you well know, my son loves his nails painted and looks better in pink than his sister does. There are also things he loves to do that his sister does not, and I don’t push it. It does not have to be the same all the time. That being said, it is hard for us to find “boy” books, but one we love in particular is Hush Little Alien. We’ve bought a copy for all our friends who have boys. It’s about a boy alien and his pappa, and the text is sung to, you guessed it, Hush Little Baby. It is one of Little Man’s favorite books and we have to sing the song every night. My daughter has never been offended, and I’d bet she never will be. It is nice to have something special just for you. It makes for sweet memories.
NATUI´s last blog ..The Big Cement Mixer In the Sky
by ellie
26 Mar 2010 at 13:38
I’m not going to give you exclusive claim on that song! That was my favourite song as a little girl. My mom sung it to me. It was our song! God damn it. Ok, I was a bit of a tomboy.
Regarding the change of words: I’m right there with you. Friggin’ ridiculous. What’s next? The Brothers and Sisters Karamazov?
ellie´s last blog ..Handyman Talks Out Loud
by Joe @ IrrationalDad
26 Mar 2010 at 20:28
Only a son could love his father’s singing voice, right?
I have a tough time around all people, socially. I tell folks that I’m socially inept. I just have trouble with conversation. I love to listen though, but people think that I’m grumpy or bored by not talking.
Also, you’ll never see me petitioning Gwen Stefani to change the words in damn near every one of her songs. I’m just a girl, or a boy just doesn’t have the same ring.
Joe @ IrrationalDad´s last blog ..Blog: Problems? Fixed? Me hopes!
by courtney
26 Mar 2010 at 23:01
The “inherent” differences between men and women is something I think about a lot, and I tend to come down with the opinion that we are indeed different, but it’s as a result of nurture, not nature. I’ve never been a girly girl, so as a kid I always gravitated away from Barbie and more toward my brother’s GI Joe. There are very few things designed for little girls out there that aren’t overly precious or twee. Not all little girls are delicate flowers, no matter how their parents try to raise them.
I agree with April above that most kid things are designed for boys, because girls supposedly are OK with stories with a male protagonist, but boys are not OK with stories with a female protagonist. I’ve even read before that J.K. Rowling uses her initials instead of her real name because boys wouldn’t have read Harry Potter if they’d immediately known it was written by a woman. I wouldn’t chalk this up to inherent chauvinism in little boys, but rather they’ve caught onto the idea that stories for girls suck. It’s true, too. It’s really hard to find good stories and songs designed for girls that include a valid role model. I thought so even as a kid. I actually think a lot of stereotypes typically assigned to adult women (insecurity, ego-centrism, general bitchiness) can be traced back to that.
courtney´s last blog ..You Can Reform My Health Care When You Pry It From My Cold, Dead … Wait.
by ssg
26 Mar 2010 at 23:58
hey i agree, changing the words to”puff” is stupid. but i disagree it’s a “boy’s song”. it’s a song about boys. like a song about living in america isn’t only for americans, a song about a little boy is not just for boys. i loved that song, so sad. though i used to think “sealing wax” was “ceiling wax”. Also that song about 2 little boys becoming soldiers, i liked that too, also sad, but not just for boys, eh?
ssg´s last blog ..hello again
by Vixen
27 Mar 2010 at 00:41
Well, I am a girl and as a child that was a ‘favourite’ of mine too. But it is/was a song about a boy. To gender neutralize the song is just silly. I had a fave girl song too, it was Scarlet Ribbons For Her Hair. If they change that to his/her hair, I’ll likely have to give up on music altogether.
Vixen´s last blog ..Fire burn, and caldron bubble
by muskrat
27 Mar 2010 at 01:07
Most of my friends are women or my numerous gay male neighbors. I hope this isn’t indicative of something bad.
muskrat´s last blog ..muskrat films presents a short: my 3-year-old and her cellphone
by Jacob
27 Mar 2010 at 02:30
Is this as bad as Charlie Daniels taking out the curse words and drug/alcohol references in his music after being “saved” by Billy Graham? I think not. There’s nothing sadder than Long Haired County Boy without getting high in the morning and drunk in the afternoon.
And the devil is supposed to be a sonofabitch, dammit!
Jacob´s last blog ..From within the Grottoes of My Mind
by jen
27 Mar 2010 at 07:43
that was one of my favourite songs growing up – and yes, my dad was a huge PP&M fan. i never realised it was a “boy’s” song.
i don’t think we have to change things like decades old songs to make them gender neutral – they are of a particular time and place. but i do think we have to recognise that (as a previous commenter said), when boys are the default for main characters (in songs, stories, etc.) we are excluding girls. being aware of when that’s the case should hopefully encourage people to make things more gender-even in this day and age.
nature v. nurture? i think believing that our brains are different creates a self-fulfilling prophecy – and in a lot of ways society and parents either overtly or unknowingly, still reinforce different behaviours in boys and girls. along those lines, i’m dying to read, but have not yet got to, “pink brain, blue brain” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100902615.html
by ZenMom
27 Mar 2010 at 08:48
I can’t sing Puff the Magic Dragon to my sons very often. Because it makes me all weepy. It came on the other day when I was driving my oldest to kindergarten and I was all sniffly by the time we got to the school. As a child, I related to Jackie. But, as a Mom, I suppose I relate to Puff, now. Which gives the song a whole new perspective, yes?
I’ve never given much credit to “girl stuff” and “boy stuff” type divisions. I figure stuff is stuff and gender is largely irrelevant to most of it. Then again, I was whatcha called a TomBoy growing up and never much went in for that “girly stuff”. Still don’t.
So I suppose I’m a bit biased. I guess that can happen when you spend a good chunk of your formative years being told that you “can’t” do something because you don’t have a penis.
And, of course, you’re right that we ARE different biologically and socially. And I say, vive le difference!
But, so many of our ideas about the differences between “masculine” and “feminine” are social, rather than biological. I’m not saying those social differences are inherently bad. But I do think it’s important that we recognize which differences are “real” and which are assumed. As well as which are benign and which can be harmful.
Great post. Thanks.
ZenMom´s last blog ..I guess we’re all one phone call from our knees
by Andrea
27 Mar 2010 at 08:59
Also a fav song played when I was a kid, but we had a different artist…. Roger Wittaker, I think….
Anyway, I always thought Jackie Paper was a stinker for abandoning his friend. I guess as a kid I didn’t get the symbolism/metaphor/what-have-you.
There does seem to be a lot of weepy, sugary sweet songs out there for Dads and their sons, or Dads and their girls. Even Dads and the Mothers-of-their-children. I can’t think of many songs specifically based on the sentimentality of a Mom and her child, boy or girl. Maybe because it’s expected and so nothing to make a big fuss about.
Now what do you think about the fact that I tend to switch the gender roles, going back and forth each time I sing, for 1) Summertime: “Mama’s rich and you’re Daddy’s good looking” and 2) Sing a Song of Sixpence: “The Queen was in the counting house, counting out her money, the King was in the parlor, eating bread and honey.” (I do tend to only do this when the meter works.)
by MissMeliss
27 Mar 2010 at 09:47
Hi. You don’t know me; I followed your link from Carmi’s blog, but I really enjoyed reading this post, and the comments to it, and had to throw in my opinion, as well.
I am a GenX feminist surrounded by women who are anti-feminist. This saddens me. Being a feminist doesn’t mean being anti-male, as I’m sure you know. In fact, I like men, and I tend to have more male than female friends.
When it comes to Puff, I agree with you, but for me it has to do with being true to the story. The character of Jackie is written as a boy, and there are no little girls in the story. It makes sense, then, to keep the lyric as originally written.
As a woman who grew up with Peter Paul & Mary music all around me, and who remains a fan in her own right, I have always loved Puff, and it’s MY song as much as anyone else’s (but we can share, right?)
As a writer and actor and improvisor, I’ve been taught that the emotional truth of a song/story/scene is what matters most.
Of course, I also think they shouldn’t PC-ize Christmas carols, because it ruins the poetry.
MissMeliss´s last blog ..There. Are. Four. Lights.
by Nigel
28 Mar 2010 at 17:24
Amazing how this one tune has resonance with so many of us. I grew up with two older brothers, so it was a male-dominated household, but I’ve never viewed Puff the Magic Dragon as having any kind of gender focus, maybe because I’m gay so all that stuff kind of goes out the window. I too prefer the company of women (that might not gel with what I just said about my sexuality!), mostly because cars and sport bore me shitless. Having said that, I’m also not that interested in hairdressing, clothes shopping, and Kylie Minogue either. Whilst I agree that boys and girls are essentially different beasts, I’m less interested in gender, and more interested in what makes a person good.
Nigel´s last blog ..Strange acts of bravery
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by You shall have a fish and you shall have a fin | a free man
28 Mar 2010 at 21:53
[...] Speaking of songs for boys, Colin Meloy’s version of a traditional Northumbrian folk song is my current favourite… Dance to your daddy, my little laddie Dance to your daddy, my little lamb You shall have a fish and you shall have a fin You shall have a heron when the boat comes in You shall have a lobster boiled in a pan Dance to your daddy my little lamb [...]
by Heather
29 Mar 2010 at 15:19
Fair does not mean equal.
by ssg
29 Mar 2010 at 19:35
hello, cant comment on the one above so saying that i love the dance for your daddy song too, i like it sung in a northern accent when they say “bo-at”. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_The_Boat_Comes_In_%28song%29
But my favourite nursery rhyme ever is ali bali
http://www.mamalisa.com/?p=780&t=es&c=110
ssg´s last blog ..hello again
by rassles
30 Mar 2010 at 06:01
It’s funny, because when my dad played this song for me he told me that little girls lived forever. So I always just let myself enjoy that spin.
And there are plenty of excellent stories out there for little girls. The interesting thing is that half of them are about dragons, and people shy from girl-based fantasy (good point to all who made it) as a rule.
I see no need to change the lyric because of the contents of the story, although Jackie COULD be a girl’s name…but if it were me? I would never leave my dragon.
rassles´s last blog ..I Refuse to be a Weenus
by Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father)
30 Mar 2010 at 06:31
I struggle with having strong friendships with anyone outside my family. I invest and give so much to them that I don’t leave much time for anyone esle.
I too need to change that.
Seattledad (Luke, I am Your Father)´s last blog ..A Chase Scene to Cherish
by Jud
30 Mar 2010 at 07:14
Chris,
I, too, like the meter of the original. I loved the song as a child, and recall some animated feature with Burgess Meredith providing the narration and/or the voice of Puff. But it has been a long time.
Cheers
Jud´s last blog ..The Once and Future Jud
by arizaphale
30 Mar 2010 at 21:06
Like SSG I’m here to talk about ‘Dance for your Daddy’. Being Northumbrian my dad sang that to me when I was little…but he used to real words
“thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy,
thou shalt have a haddock
When the Bo-wat comes in!!!”
And he changed laddie to lassie …so I guess that’s back on the ‘Puff’ topic?
arizaphale´s last blog ..You’re Never Too Old For A Rock Concert (except when you still call them rock concerts).
by we_be_toys
31 Mar 2010 at 13:06
The “Puff” track on Peter, Paul and Mommy doesn’t say squat about little girls, and that’s how it should be. I’ve always loved that song, simply for being so beautiful, but you’re right – when I heard it again as an adult, I didn’t remember it as being so sad. Guess that’s kid thing, missing the emo-nuances!
I agree totally that boys should be allowed to be boys, to experience their own mystique – I even felt that way BEFORE I had two boys, thanks to my two brothers who were and are a vital influence in my life.
Your two sure are getting big fast – won’t be long before they’re as big as my two – still kind of freaking on having two kids in Junior high next year – how did they get so old – I haven’t changed!!!
we_be_toys´s last blog ..Just Another Reason Why I Love Bea
by Florida Girl in Sydney
05 Apr 2010 at 15:56
This is so how I consider my husband. He also wasn’t really a guys guy, though he loves to talk sports– he isn’t an actual participant. But little by little I think he’s realized how big his role model role is here and yes, he is their number one– he is who they want to be. So he’s putting his big boy pants on (albeit one leg at a time and often in what seems like slow motion) but it is happening— I hope.
Florida Girl in Sydney´s last blog ..Steer Penis, Why Not?
by Gwen Jackson
23 Apr 2010 at 13:46
Honestly I couldn’t focus on what you wrote in this blog because I was too mesmerized by the absolutely adorableness of your two sons. Those eyes! That hair! Those sweet chubby baby cheeks!
Gwen Jackson´s last blog ..Devil in a Blue Onesie
by Gwen Jackson
23 Apr 2010 at 13:58
Once I stopped marveling at the cuteness of your kids (and soothed away the tears of one of my own), I got down to actually reading your post. I have to say that I am proud of you for writing this. Some people are just way too sensitive about gender issues so not many people really write honestly about them. In the US (and maybe over there too) we used to have a day called “Take your daughter to work day”. The whole point of this day was to expose girls to careers that they may not have felt previously they could pursue due to gender biases, etc. Then a bunch of people started bitching about this day saying that it wasn’t “fair” to boys. So it changed to “Take your children to work day”. I was appalled. Why couldn’t girls have this thing? God forbid they feel special, you know? Anyway, men and women, girls and boys are different. And that’s OK.
Gwen Jackson´s last blog ..Devil in a Blue Onesie