Classmate Valentines

Girls and Boys are different. That's just the way life is. I believe that personality (not necessarily gender) has a lot to do with how young children act and respond in certain situations, but as I listened to Savannah and Sid the other day I couldn't help but generalize their behaviors to the stereotypical attitudes of males and females. I don't know if my current observations of the male and female genders are the result of difference in gender, age, and/or personality, but I quite enjoyed listening to my kids while we worked on their Valentines this year. The conversation went something like this:

Sid (excited): I think she will like this one!
Savannah (surprised): Are you even going to read it?!?
Sid (with a quizzical expression): WHY?
Savannah (rolling her eyes, as if the answer is obvious): What if it says something gross?
Sid (dismissive): Well, she can't read anyway.
Savannah (not allowing such a lame excuse): What if her Mom reads it to her?
Sid (shrugs to help dismiss this conversation): That's okay.
Savannah (insisting that they are not done with this conversation): What if it says "I love you?"
Sid (beyond done with this conversation and still ambivalent): That's okay.
Savannah (realizing that an example might help demonstrate the point): I can't give this one to so-and-so because it says he loves me on it (with a giggle and then hiding her face in her hands).
Sid (pausing briefly after seeing Savannah's giggly embarrassment to look at the card in his hand as if wondering momentarily if it would elicit a similar response in the girl he was intending it for): Hmm.

Savannah: Rolls her eyes and carries on meticulously reading each Valentine, selecting the perfect sentiment for each individual class member, and carefully signing and folding with the understanding that these will be the perfect Valentines for each class friend.

Sid (After his half-second "Hmm"): keeps on going, not reading the cards and not paying any attention to whether he was professing his undying devotion to his one true love on a Valentine that is so cheap that they don't even include envelopes any more.

I am sure Sid will win over a fair maiden's heart this Friday, but perhaps I should point out that more than 2/3 of his class are boys and the competition is tough before his little heart gets shattered into pieces. Maybe now is the time to explain to Savannah that many times guys do not put a lot of thought into things like this... or maybe it's not the time yet. Her daddy sure does a great job, so maybe she will end up with a guy like him or figure this concept out on her own!