I drove my middle daughter, Gal Smiley, and two of her friends to Guides last night. They’re all 11 years old which is definitely in the “just drive, don’t interact” range of life. You might think that’s a bad thing but I actually like it – if you are really, really quiet they kind of forget you’re there and you get this totally amazing window into their world for a brief moment. It’s like being a fly on the wall at recess at school.
Insights into the 11 year old mind:
On The Subject of Taylor Swift: Shake It Off is now cool again, making a return to acceptability after losing its street cred for a few months due to overplaying. However, other Taylor Swift songs are not cool at all, and please put the radio on, thanks.
On The Subject Of Boys: Sad to say, what was once considered gross is now, apparently, hilarious, and what was once considered kind and gentle behaviour is now “no fun.” One boy who is known for eating really gross stuff in really gross ways was, previously, considered Mega Gross, but now is considered Totes Hilarious and Kind Of Cute, even though he still does have a very tiny head. Another boy who was once well-respected for his responsibility and diligence in any group project has now been labelled as lame, because he does not enjoy it when people throw pencils at him while he is working.
I would love to point out that Pencil Boy would make a MUCH better boyfriend than Gross Eater Boy but sadly, these are the kind of things girls need to learn for themselves. Taylor Swift could tell you all about that.
On The Subject Of Their Future Children: I know I wrote a post about this, but I can’t find it in my archives, but it was about how names tend to skip two generations in popularity, so the names of your grandchildren will be similar to the names of your parents. For example, popular names today (Emma, Charlotte, Harrison) are names that were possibly previously associated with our grandparents; our kids will choose names like Barbara and Patty. This theory was well proven in the car when the girls agreed that “nice names for a girl” include Valerie and Gail, both of which are names of my aunts, and “nice names for a boy” are Cliff and Kingston, and Cliff at least is the name of a friend of my parents.
I’m already practicing my “That’s a LOVELY name, Dear!” fake face.
On The Subject Of Dating: Not to share too much private information, but one girl and one boy in their grade (grade 6) have been coupled up now for a few months, and it’s both Big News and Whatever News. There was a lot of talk about holding hands, and What That Means, and a lot of talk about who likes who and might be coupling up next, although all three of them aren’t quite ready for anything like that yet. Alarming and sweet at the same time.
On The Subject Of Travel: A brief competition was had to see who had been on the most planes. A point of pride was to have travelled the most, but also the least. I guess being at either extreme of something makes you special.
TurtleHead 
My friends think I’m nice, and kind, and helpful for always driving their sons to basketball practice but actually I would KILL them if they tried to drive, because my son and theirs are SO FUNNY to listen to.
They, however, will talk to me. Sometimes they even want to talk to me – occasionally they want my opinion on life “stuff.”
Maybe it’s a boy thing.
However, the downside of driving boys around, instead of girls, is that they will cheerfully fart in your car when it’s -20 out and you can’t put the windows down, and there is nothing more disgusting than smelling the fart of a child not related to you in any way.
Grossssss, however, my daughter and her friends will probably find farting in a closed car charming and attractive. PRETEENS, am I right?
Okay, I admit I like to eavesdrop on people, mostly perfect strangers because it’s not like I’m trying to find out secrets. I just like conversations on general. Kids are the best… you feel like you are entering a whole different world. Kids are interesting and passionate.
That said, it must be hard sometime to, ahem, focus on the driving and keep quiet when it’s your own kid! I’d be dying to add sometime or share my very unwanted opinion 😆
I cannot even tell you how much I love this post. I love these conversations! I wrote a post a few years ago about the name thing as well; mark my words we are going to have Beverly, Brenda, Corrine and Donna granddaughters. Actually, there is a teen girl at my boys’ karate who is Brenda and I always find it startling – she’s not my aunt!
Beverly! That’s totally happening. Maybe the reason that I can’t find my own post is that I’m actually remembering YOUR post. I feel this could be a major breakthrough on the Grand Unified Theory Of Blogging.
Also? Go for Pencil Boy, girls. Not Gross Eatee. Ah, they’ll learn.
Mike loves to drive the oldest and her friends around for this very reason. In fact when we go out with friends of ours he always offers to drive all the kids and pawns me off on the other couple.