Friday, June 19, 2009

So What Would You Do?

Other than be surprised that there's something new here.

My son likes a girl. Which is a start. We have it on good authority that she likes him back. Which is the problem. Now what does he do? They're 11. Does he ask her out? if so, where do they go? How do they get there? Is it cool to hold hands in the hallways? Should they have lunch together? Am I obligated to let him use the car? And more importantly, what do they do two weeks from now when they've become interested in another person?

Man my head hurts. I'm happy that the little bugger likes a girl who likes him back, Lord knows there's nothing better for the male ego at age 11, (hell, it ain't so bad at age 40), but I don't envy him the whole "trying to figure out what to do next" stage at age 11. Sort of makes me glad I didn't have that problem until I was about 18.

Hey, I had a late growth spurt OK?

Ah yes, the awkward conversations, the "does she or doesn't she" thoughts, the whole trying to figure out what I should do next and does she want me to do that or will she think I'm a hopeless dork if I do that thing. Good times.

So far all I've told him is to ask me any questions he wants about any situtation that comes up and I'll tell him what I would have done at his age. Then I told him that since what I would ahve done at age 11 is drink some chocolate milk and go play Dungeons & Dragons, he should do the exact opposite of whatever I come up with and he should be OK.

Frankly, at age 11 my only advice would be if she likes you and you like her than hang around together and have a good time, but don't take anything too seriously. But I'm pretty sure this is all going to end with someone going emo and developing an unhealthy fascination with holding sharp objects to their forearams.

I just hope it isn't me.

EDITOR'S NOTE: He got the girl. If you've never seen an 11 year old walk around trying to be cool with a shit-eating grin plastered all over his face, you haven't lived.