education

A recent day out with The Flipster, Chuckles and BFF DJ provided the Dutchman and I with the opportunity to catch up on hot topics amongst the six year olds. As a ninja-mum up with the going price for beyblades on e-bay, the subtleties of a Metal System Driger vs a Wolborg and why it must be a Takara and not a TT I thought I might be able to rest on my laurels for a while. So wrong.

We weren’t long into our journey before the word ‘vagina’ drifted over into the front seat. Subtle as ever we turned down the music to discover Chuckles and the Flipster providing BFF with a blow-by-blow description of a vaginal delivery. It soon becomes apparent that while she was au fait with caesareans the boys’ version of events was news to her. And not in a good way.

Things become heated with DJ insisting the boys must be wrong and the boys insisting their sources were impeccable. Eventually I have to step in and advise DJ that, err, yes, unfortunately the boys were right. My attempts at reassurance delivered from the front seat fell flat and the discussion ended with the boys in chorus; “I’m soooooooooo glad I’m not a girl”. A brief silence followed before a forlorn DJ responded “I wish I wasn’t”. Mental note to self: Send DJ’s parents an email suggesting a little chat.

Thinking we’ve dealt with the tricky-subject of the day The Dutchman and I settle back and enjoy the warm glow of delusion before once again being roused as the word ‘sexing’ wafts through the car. The Dutchman turns the radio down just in time for us to learn that so-and-so-at-school’s Dad has to pay his mum twenty dollars for ‘sexing’. Flabbergasted on several levels I vaguely register;
A: ‘sexing’ is apparently a verb. (yes, I know; slow)
B: My six year old son is au fait with the verb ‘sexing’.
C: I am ridiculously out of touch with current hot topics at school amongst the 1-2-3s

There’s a lot that could be said about all this; obviously so-and-so’s mum should be upping the anti with dad, and any concerns about modern literacy eductaion must be misplaced when your six year old knows verbs you’ve never heard of but not least of all, the life of a primary schooler is a strange and wondrous thing.