I don't like labels. You know, when a mom says her daughter is her "Complainer" or her son is "Beyond Help". There is just nothing else for the daughter to do but complain. It's become an expectation. And when the son doesn't even try to be better, well, let's just say the mom was a huge help with that.
I babysat for a family while in California who had all girls. They were beautiful girls. Then, the most excruciating thing happened. They had Son. You would have thought those girls had just dried up and disappeared when Son came. I only know the boy as Son. The dad would only call him Son. So even when I babysat, I didn't know what to call him. Ricardo? Henry? I just don't know. So this is how introducing his family would go..."This is my wife (the Great Vessel who gave me My Son) and these, um, yeah, these are my other kids. And THIS, Now THIS is MY SON!" And then the heavens would open and angels would sing.
I hear other people calling their boys "Son". So what do they call the girls? "Daughter"? I just don't get it.
As you can tell, I have a bee in my bonnet. Son aside, I just don't like it when parents label their kids. Even with positive labels. It sets them up. Kids just don't need that kind of pressure.
So here's what I did. Look over on the left side of my blog. Yes, right there. You see it? I'm going against my better judgement and I AM LABELING! I haven't gotten very far. But I was at it for quite a while last night. Soon you will be able to read my blog systematically by the labels. I really don't care, either. Maybe you'll even start hearing me call Ruthie "Daughter". I suppose I'd have to call Isaac "Son 1" and Samuel "Son 2". Hey, I can call Daniel "Husband". He does call me "Mother" every once in a while. Now I'm just babbling.
4 comments:
I know exactly who you are talking about. I call my boys "Son" once in a while in the brother C. voice. It's still very funny to me. Good luck with the labeling!
I know exactly who you're talking about too! That just cracks me up. I love people who call their kids "brother" or "sister". What's that all about? Just call them by their name for heaven's sake!
I agree - labels are just not good all around - except when it comes to blogs, then they're great! I have actually called my niece "sister-girl" and now that I see/think about it from a different perspective that's a really silly thing for me to call her! Thanks for the new perspective - really!
There could be a problem with your neighbors to the North of you. The parents call their boy "Son" half of the time. The "Son" calls his older sister "Sister" more than anything else. I usually hear the sister call her brother "Stop It!" (I am not sure why). This family may have some serious issues to sort out. I believe if they started calling everyone in their family by the correct name, it would just confuse everyone. I will pray for that dear family.
Ha ha. Jen, my attempt at humor usually fails and this is no exception! I laughed when I read your post about labels. I know you were being serious but I thought maybe you heard me hollering at Jeffrey yesterday "Son!!! Get out of the dog house - there are germs in there! Son, you are going to get a disease if you keep this up!". Or something to that effect.
I told Jeff about the labels thing. We agreed to go on as usual. We just would get confused calling each other by the correct name. Jeff and I call each other "Bug". We call Jeffrey "Son" or "Jeffy". We call Morgan "Missy" or "Missy Chick". If we use an actual name in this house with each other, it is because one of us is mad or one of us is in trouble. Go figure. :) You make me smile. I miss you.
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