This post was written by Cindy Barnes, the CMF Modern Grandma:
I love to watch my grandsons think, and I mean that literally. A few weeks ago I read a book titled No Girls Allowed to almost four-year-old Graham. It incorporated ladders and tree houses (very cool!) and a politically-correct moral about non-exclusion and everybody playing together nicely.
Graham has just recently grasped the gender concept and I have never seen him so intent during one of our reading sessions. I read with enthusiasm as we reached the end. The boy and girl bears play together and have a cookout. All is well in bear country. Graham’s take: New idea! It is possible to exclude girls!
The next morning dad arrived to pick up the boys. Graham was at the door with the No Girls Allowed book in his hand. “Grandma, this is a very good book. I don’t have this book at home. I would like to read this book at home.” I explained that Grandma’s books and toys are special and I’ll save them for his next visit. Two weeks later, when he arrived for another overnight stay, his first words are, “Let’s read No Girls Allowed.”
I’m amused but not worried. Just like the bears, he will probably form his own little clique at some point. But the moral won’t be lost. He is being taught well with parents who are open and accepting. Plus he is a good boy at heart. Grandma is learning, too. I’m sticking to books about trains.
Many thanks to my momma for this great post. And, I really love this photo! If you’d like to read more offerings from the Modern Grandma, check out here posts here. Feel free to leave a comment about this blog post below, or leave suggestions for future blogs by the world’s hippest Grandma!
That’s a sweet story! Thanks for sharing!