The Lost Art of Etiquette

Fall football... is there anything better?  Little guy played his first game under the lights this season and it was incredible.  Well, except for the refs and their hankies.

I absolutely love this sport.  Honest, I do.  I love the strategy behind every play and position.  It truly is a complex machine knowing that if 5 linemen do their jobs, the other 6 will run and do theirs simultaneously and miraculously one of them will slip through the specific hole he was assigned and run 50 yards for a touch down.  The mere fact that a group of 10 year old boys can understand this is amazing to me.  I can't even understand the rotation of a volleyball team, let alone all of this!

Touchdown!

Being a boy mom is so easy in so many ways, or so it seems.  I'm surrounded by girls both in our family and in my friendship circle.  The stories, concerns and battles I hear my friends share over their daughters it totally overwhelming to me.  Obviously we aren't in the 50's any longer, so etiquette training is not front and center.  I don't think a single friend I have has spent time with their daughter teaching them to stand up with proper posture with a book on their head or lift their pinky finger when drinking tea.  I could be wrong... I don't live inside their houses.  But it just doesn't seem to be priority any longer to teach girls to "be a lady".

Nope, thank you feminism.  In this generation we teach girls they can do anything a boy can do... and better.  Well, can't we?  Hmmm... I gottta be honest.  I fly my fem flag all the time, but I can't do everything my husband can do.  And quite frankly.... I don't want to!

Contrary to women's rights, I do still teach my boys chivalry.  Because as a woman, I really like it when men are chivalrous.  And it truly isn't that often.

I want my boys to open doors for women and let them walk through first.  Or open car doors for them.  Or let them order first (and offer to pay for it!)  I want them to know women like to feel special, as if they are the only one in the room.  And I want them to have manners and not burp, fart, cuss or act like general a~holes around women... at least when they first meet them anyway.

My oldest has drastically changed since boot camp.  If nothing else, his manners have definitely been refined.  Not only is he holding doors, he is saying "yes, ma'am and no sir" to people he meets and speaks with.  A little formal for my taste, but so respectful.  I like it.  And he is not allowing drama into his family unit... he is refusing it completely.  I LOVE that.  Very protective and unfortunately required given some of his family interactions.

A lot of my friends have their children address hubs and I as Miss Jen and Mr. Tim (or Davis).  I always feel a bit strange about it but I get it totally.  They are trying to hold onto a level of adult respect with their kiddos.

I think we all need more of that.

As we were in the car coming home from his game last night, little guy dropped a profound on me.  I love when he blurts stuff out in his rambling sense (just like his momma) and doesn't even know what it holds.

I really like my team, mom.  We've got each other's backs.

Yes bud, you do.  Welcome to a family.  They may come together in different ways but it is always a positive experience when you know people truly care about you and you have common goals.  Chivalry

still does exist... even on a football field!

Have a great Sunday, friends.  I'll be spending mine slathered in more football after a 12 mile run!
 Jen