Sweetheart Game

Rachel is boy-crazy. I’m not delusional about it, she’s not going to outgrow it. I know this for two reasons. First, she’s been this way since she was born. Second, I can relate. My mom claims (and I must confess that I recall) that I was ridiculous about boys from an equally ridiculous age. I remember Valentine’s Day in second grade (the Year I Peaked Socially) when all the boys in the class got together and bought me a stuffed animal that they put in a pretty little box with a handmade card….signed by every boy in the class. And a couple in the class next door. In third grade, I received a heart charm necklace from Avon – if you grew up in the late 70’s you will remember it – from a boy. It had three charms that looked just like conversation hearts with “Be Mine” and “I Love You” and “Something Else I Can’t Remember” inscribed. In fourth grade I was in love with Joey Mingori and pasted his picture in my journal to memorialize my devotion.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. And really, it just gets more embarrassing. If my journal weren’t buried in the very backy-back of my storage closet, I’d scan Fourth-Grade Joey Mingori, buck teeth and all, and illustrate the embarrassment of being boy-crazy.

So we’ve got another one on our hands with Rachel. She’s been worried about Kissing Tag since preschool. Her biggest struggle in life : Which Shoes To Wear Because Boys Might See. She’s been fixing her hair ever since she figured out she had opposable thumbs. She’s already mastered (?) the art (?) of ‘camera-face’ a la Paris Hilton.

Hence it doesn’t really surprise me that Rachel only talks about Peter when I ask about her day at school (and her teacher, Mrs. Petersen, but that’s a post for another day) -- Spelling? Sure, whatever. Recess? Probably…if Peter was there. Lunch? Yes, Peter sat by her and pulled her hair. What does surprise me is this new game that Zach and Abby (!!!!) have developed. It’s called the Sweetheart Game and it seems like something Rachel would come up with, not those two.

We’ve been ice skating several times this winter and Zach and Abby have really taken to it. The other night, while I was in class, my parents took everyone ice skating for Family Home Evening. When I got home, they were still convulsing with laughter over this new game. Which goes like this: Abby skates around and flirts with a boy about her age, winking, smiling, skating close by…you know the drill. Then, said boy starts to skate over to her, Zach glides in, takes Abby’s hand and they skate off, with Zach gleefully sticking out his tongue at the defeated Other Boy.

Now, go ahead and think I’m a bad person because I think this hilarious. Don’t care. If it’s a game where Zach and Abby are getting along, I’m in. The way I see it is this: Abby feels good because some strange boy thinks she’s cute enough to skate over but she’s “protected” by her brother and Zach gets to feel like the Protector. Hopefully this will last until they’re 25 and 26 years old, respectively.