She's all boy!

I cringe every time I hear someone pronounce: “He’s all boy.”  Same as I hold my tongue when people use the word tomboy to describe a female child or adult.  These sentiments are way outdated.  Children are children.  Some boys and girls like to climb trees and play rough.  Some boys and girls like to sing and dance and play house.

I’ve had this aversion to these unnecessary adjectives since my son and two daughters were little.  My kids know how I feel and I believe they share my feeling.  Problem is, I am now a grandmother and don't really feel like holding my tongue anymore.  

I pledge, on this Mother’s Day, May 12, 2013, that I will no longer be silent.  It will be my cause to eradicate these over-used and inaccurate labels from the face of the earth.  To do so, I must bring out the big guns: humor and teasing - and, if called for, a touch of shaming. 

From now on: My son was a tomboy growing up.  He liked sports and messing around in the neighborhood creek and getting dirty and all that stuff.  My daughters were all boy, they liked sports and messing around in the neighborhood creek and getting dirty and all that stuff.

Here’s some recent pictures of my youngest granddaughter Finley, 18 months old.
  By the way, she LOVES bugs and mud and food and play and ... well, you get the idea.  She's all boy!

Finley with her wonderful mother, who, as a child, was all boy!