I'm officially annoyed by the idea that there are "acceptable" pursuits for your children and "not acceptable" pursuits. For example, once I was chatting with someone who asked me what Cowen liked/wanted to do. I said he's a really physical kid and he really desperately wants to take fencing lessons. I then got a little lecture about how that was lame because who takes fencing lessons and why doesn't he want to play cool sports--like basketball and football, and I should try to steer him in that direction. Clearly, according to this person, a more acceptable direction.
What makes basketball a better choice than fencing?
Then today, my family and I were all sitting around chatting and I said that Cowen was clearly not going to be my song and dance boy, but Eli loves music so I'm hoping Eli will turn out to be a song and dance boy. (Not that I care, but it is awfully fun to have a boy around who will sing and dance.) Then I was told, most emphatically, that I shouldn't hope that he'd turn out weird when he already has red hair (apparently a strike against him). Now, I understand that most red-headed boys are not . . . the most attractive men. But, who cares? That's hardly a strike against him. Most people aren't the most attractive people on the planet and we all munge along just fine.
The main point, of course, is why is being a song and dance boy less acceptable than being a jock? All my best friends were song and dance people and they were great people. Most the jocks I know are great people. If my son wants to sing and dance that is not weird. It is just two options among many.
Okay--I'm over it. Thanks for letting me vent a little.
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