Mark Driscoll shares his thoughts on the Twilight series and all the new vampire-ish books for preteen/teen girls. Some of you aren’t going to like what he has to say. Please watch and we can discuss in the comments.
HT: Katie Howard
As a mother, I’m always vigilant for these situations. This is a story from last night’s 4H meeting. Birding club.
I had three of my kids with me, my boys, 10 and 7, and my eldest girl, 12 years old next week. The night’s project was making bird feeders. A dad passed out the supplies: wood pieces, screws, metal sheeting for the roof and demonstrated how to put it together. Simple construction, easy.
The dad had two electric power drills, one by-hand screwdriver. Ten kids waited patiently.
“Why don’t you help her?” Dad said to his son, a boy well versed in power drill. The boy had just finished using it on his own bird feeder. He picked up the screw and began drilling into my daughter’s bird feeder to attach the base.
My daughter watched.
On the other side of the room, another boy, another girl, same scene.
She said nothing, watching as he began to work on her bird feeder project.
I know how to use tools. I’ve used electric saws, table saws, lathes, jigsaws. I took wood shop in 7th grade when it was required. I took wood shop as an elective in high school. I built ramshackle forts in my backyard. I built a skateboard out of old metal wheels and rough wood. I came home in tears from freshman year wood shop due to the caustic remarks from the male teacher. I never took wood shop again.
My daughter is not me. As far as I can tell, she is not interested in carpentry, power drills or building with scraps of wood. She’s more rubber spatula, cake pans and flour. But this was an easy project. All you had to do was screw straight down four times; plus I think everyone should try a tool when given the opportunity.
Make no mistake – I made sure I was gentle, yet firm.
“Wait a minute. That’s her bird feeder.”
“Excuse me. That’s her project. Let her do it.”
I had to repeat myself several times, my voice raised a bit louder each time. Eventually those boys gave way and the girls used the drills by themselves.
Moms, encourage your daughters to try the new, the unfamiliar.
Tell your sons: help doesn’t mean you do it for a girl. Show her, demonstrate. Then hand the tool to her.
Speak up for your girl so she has a turn to try.
My 11 year old daughter, you know her as Susan here on the blog, challenged me to post this question to Facebook, but I decided to cast the info-gathering net wider. So I ask you, blog readers:
Do you have your 11 year old girl clean the bathroom once a week like I do? Clean as in: scrub and wipe down toilet. Wipe down counter and sink. Clean mirror if necessary.
When I was Susan’s age, my sister and I had to dust the dining room furniture every Saturday. With polish. Even if we weren’t having fancy company that required use of the table. Friends, I HATED dusting that table. So many nooks in the woodwork. I truly believe I’ve been scared for life as a result. My husband can attest to my great aversion to dusting the house today. At least Susan is cleaning something that is much more worthy of a good cleaning.
Come on, let me have it. Am I an old meanie or is Susan getting off easy? I’m open to all criticism and advice.