Thursday, January 10, 2013

If You Don't Know Me By Now (II)

People sometimes ask me about C's decision to wear shorts all the time - even in the winter.
Why does it do it?
Is he hot?
Is he cold?
What do his teachers say?
Is there a certain temperature he's shooting to go below?
I say, he's 10 years old. He hasn't written up a personal manifesto yet.
I don't know why he wears shorts all the time though I suspect it's his way of being an individual and he just likes to. Ditto for the long hair.
But people really want things to happen for a reason, and a logical reason at that. We are all more Dr. Spock than Captain Kirk.
I am reminded of the passage in The Little Prince where the Little Prince attempts to explain grown-ups and their ways.
"If I have told you these details about the asteroid, and made a note of its numbers for you, it is on account of the grown-ups and their ways. Grown-ups love figures. When you tell them that you have made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you, "What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?" Instead, they demand: "How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?" Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him."

song: If You Don't Know Me By Now • artist: Simply Red

4 comments:

Winnie said...

Kudos for self expression in a way that harms nobody. People really interested in his "whys", should ask him. I have a friend with Purple hair..People often ask others around her "why purple?" Finally someone asked, and she said "because I like it..Enough said?"

Carrie Tripp said...

I am a public school teacher. My kids attend the school where I teach. I don't choose my kids clothes. They meet dress code...above and beyond that...I don't care.

However, co-workers always think it's ok to question me about my kids choice of apparel.

Let kids be kids. When we impose unnecessary "rules & regulations" on individuality we are stunting their growth and encouraging rebellion. Let kids be kids!

Joanne said...

Thanks! What I like to say is that I don't care if he wears shorts as long as they are shorts that fit. And I don't care if his hair is long as long as he combs it.
Sometimes I have to comb it.

Audrey said...

I had a student like that when I taught at a private school. Shorts were only allowed during certain months and she knew the day she was allowed to start wearing them again.

And I think St Exupery nails it with that quote. Adults really do get hung up on silly things.