Boys & Tractors

Today found us doing our usual Thursday activity - Park Day! We were joined by the Buchanan's (Cayden, Cassidy, "little" Evan & Mom (aka Marcy)) at Bateman Park. It was a nice mellow afternoon with our little group being the only ones enjoying this particular playground today.

An interesting observation though... Marcy & I both have 1 boy amongst girls in our families (I also had my cousins 2 girls with me again today) so the 2 "Evans" were the only boys at the park today with 5 girls. They are also 2 boys who have older sisters (mine is sandwiched between 2 girls) & neither Marcy or I are minded to "monitor" our boys to ensure they are not picking up any feminine tendencies by being surrounded by (or playing with) Barbie, Polly Pocket & Hannah Montana.

However, as Marcy & I were enjoying some pleasant conversation & snacks, we looked up to see this...With an entire playground to themselves, & a pea -sized attention span between the 2 of them, these little boys stared with wonder for a good 15 minutes while the tractor went around & around aerating the soccer field!
They could hardly peel themselves away! What a fluke that Evan happened to be wearing his "John Deere" t-shirt! Notice the tractor driver waving?

Look at Evan's face!! You would have thought he'd been waved at by Superman himself!! Not some poor shlub working for the Parks Dept! LOL It sure made his day to see the looks on these little ones faces though :)

When I studied Early Childhood Education, I learned there is a school of thought that gender stereotypes are all learned - boys only like blue & tractors, etc. because we (their family or society in general) TAUGHT them - even subconsciously - that boys are SUPPOSED to like those things.

Let me tell ya - these 2 boys are evidence that it doesn't matter how much estrogen & pink boys are surrounded with...
Even in a world that has "metro-sexualism" & men who enjoy cooking & mani/pedi's...

There's is something about boys/men & heavy machinery... :)