Valentines Bah Humbug
Friday, February 13, 2009 Posted In cards , hearts , Valentines Edit This 13 Comments »
Valentines Day is today for my 4th grader. His teacher gave him a list of all the kids in the class that he has to give cards to. Which is, everyone. I'm confused. Aren't they supposed to write Valentines cards to the kids they like? And, why does he have to give Valentine cards to BOYS? Isn't that pushing him over to the OTHER side?
If it were up to M, nobody would be getting cards from him. These are just some of his comments to me...
"DO NOT write a girl's name on the hearts cards! Don't even use the hearts cards, mum!"
"Be mine...no pressure... ?? I can't give this to a boy!!"
"What does this one say?... "You'll fill the space in my heart?" Bleuccchhh! Take that card out too."
"Oh no, I have to give one to HER? She likes me! Groan..."
"DO NOT put happy faces on them! I am NOT giving smiley face cards to girls!"
"Yuck! Why do they have to talk about love?"
So, I ask M if he would like to give me a heart card. "Can I be your Valentine, son?" His response... "Yeah... whatever..."
He loves me!
If it were up to M, nobody would be getting cards from him. These are just some of his comments to me...
"DO NOT write a girl's name on the hearts cards! Don't even use the hearts cards, mum!"
"Be mine...no pressure... ?? I can't give this to a boy!!"
"What does this one say?... "You'll fill the space in my heart?" Bleuccchhh! Take that card out too."
"Oh no, I have to give one to HER? She likes me! Groan..."
"DO NOT put happy faces on them! I am NOT giving smiley face cards to girls!"
"Yuck! Why do they have to talk about love?"
So, I ask M if he would like to give me a heart card. "Can I be your Valentine, son?" His response... "Yeah... whatever..."
He loves me!
13 brilliant observations:
"Yeah...whatever..." That's total affirmation from a 4th grader! He DOES love you!!
I'm torn with the whole give-one-to-everyone card dealio. On the one hand, I'd hate for my kid to be the one who didn't get any cards. But should we really be forcing kids into treating everyone fairly? I mean, life's not exactly fair, right?
I dunno.
I love Valentine's Day! Always have. Always will. I think it is a fun day for kids to just be nice...and to include everyone.
The problem may be with the lovey dovey cards...I think it's ok to just send 'Happy Valentine's Day!' cards.
It is a good time to teach compassion I think...and kindness...far far way far from marriage proposal or lovey dovey at his age!!! ;) Maybe I just like the memories and the sugar cookie days of my youth! Anyway, for another fun point of view...go to: brendakstory.blogspot.com
Sounds a lot like my 3rd grader! And 'whatever' is as good as a 'For Sure' at his age!
And...I should have bought a wig 3 years ago...
:~D
I always found the Valentines based on otherwise violent themes to be rather perplexing. I mean, do you REALLY want Hulk Hogan inviting classmates to be your Valentine?
I think they started that "give one to everybody" several years back. And I found some good masculine ones for my sons that they were always OK with. With like scratch and sniff bugs and stuff:)
They just need purely platonic, cool cards. Maybe have him make his own. In fact, his "yeah...whatever" would work on boys, girls, moms, whoever and everyone would come out a winner!
lol, you gotta love 4th grade boys :)
I like the Valentines that are neutral like...you're a Rockin Valentines makes things really simple.
R Max, Thank you. Yes, I did write the stories and drew the little illustrations. I decided to write the stories to give a positive voice (point of view) to my grandchildren, hoping to somehow help them in this crazy world...(that is how it all started and now others are reading about our little 'Hadley K' girl too and it is quite fun)! Your kindness made my day. Thank you.
Same dilemma every year with my kids too! I like the idea of a "yeah...whatever" card!
Valentines cards in elementary school---is alot of pressure. Already we are setting out kids up for the whole "whose most popular " theory. I loved valentines when in school, we made our own "pouches" that we'd drop them in and that was before teachers made you have one for EVERYONE, so I always checked to see if I had as many in MY pouch as others --like the popular ones. But, to this day, they are stil my most favorite cards, even if I don't get as many as some others. (and his responses were so funny)
That is HILARIOUS. So that's what US schools are up to today, must be that awesome No Child Left Behind legislation. 'Be mine. . . no pressure. . .' is very deep and meaningful and boys should be forced to give these cards to other boys if they want to graduate.
Because our experience tells us that people just act like that! I hate bad shopping experiences.
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