Puppy Love

There is a little girl in Zach's summer school class. She is a year older than the other kids and towers over them. Even at such a young age, the boys have an affinity for the older woman, and in step with that, she is doling out her fair share of playing hard to get. I often hear stories at the end of the day that sound something like this: "Sophie doesn't like me," "Sophie wouldn't sit by me," "Sophie doesn't want to play with me."

Their teacher has made it clear that Sophie really does like the boys, but it is a fun little mind game she plays with them. I was surprised to hear the flirtatious cat and mouse had begun in preschool, but humored by it just the same. When Zach seemed disappointed about it and said "I don't understand, I am so nice to her," I told him that sometimes when girls like you, they are just weird like that.

"Why," he replied.
"I don't know buddy, girls are just weird. I know, I've done it too."
"She's not weird!"
"All girls are weird."
"Sophie's NOT weird!" he protested.
"Ok, she isnt then." said Trent.
And in a profound twist he replied, "Yea. Thats what I thought. ...You're crazy Mommy."
My point EXACTLY. Albeit the wrong one, a woman still made no sense to a man.

Then, last night, I took Zach to the athletic club to play while I ran a couple miles. The little minx, Sophie was there. She immediately ran off and said she didnt want to play with Zach. He was heartbroken. I told him to just play cool, act like it didnt bother him and say "That's ok, I will just play over here then." He smiled at the thought of winning the battle. And inquired, "that will work?" When I picked him up, Sophie and her mother were leaving. He shouted across the parking lot to her, and ever the glutton for punishment, he invited her to the house.

"Sophie, if you just turn out of here and go down to the next street, you can turn and you will see some gates, and a bunch of hills and stuff...thats where my house is ok?"
She ignored him.
"Bye Sophie! See you at school tomorrow!"
She ignored him (in a bashful, batting her eyes at him way)

"Mommy?"
"Yea?"
"I REALLY like that Sophie!"
"You do? Why?"
"Well, she isn't very nice to me, but I am to her"
"Well, that is good of you and being nice to others is what's most important."
"She still won't play with me, but I like her a lot."
"What is it you like about her then?"
long pause........then he said in a dreamy, hypnotic way, "I like her hair!"
"I thought Juliana (from school) or Hanna (my friend's daughter) was your girlfriend. That's what you told me before."
"Oh, they ARE too."
"You have more than one girlfriend? I don't think you can do that can you?"
"Oh, yes. I sure can."

So I smiled and relented. Boys will be boys, girls will be girls. Even at 4-and-a-half, some things will never change. I have determined this is a life lesson that will have to hash itself out through years of first hand experience, not advice from Mom!