reading about gender, reproduction, bodies, and birth

K and R: how do the sperm and egg meet?
K: the egg says 'hi sperm, nice to meet you'

r, looking at a picture of a picture of a fetus at one month: that does not look to hard to push out of your body.

me: have you ever seen a baby that small? no that is 1 month. this is 9 months. see the head? it is bigger.

r: well, once you get the head out, it looks easier.

me: yes. yes it is

splinters

r: mom. i think i have splinters in my mouth. they are pointy and sharp.

me: really? can i feel? where are they? and why do you have splinters in your mouth?

r: well i have been chewing on my pencils.

me, calmly: well hon, try not to do that. we gave you the pencil tops so you can chew on something safe.

me, feeling around his cheek: i don't feel anything. where?

dad, yelling from the next room: DON'T CHEW ON PENCILS

r: i feel them. right here.

me: oh. honey, that is a new tooth. you are getting a molar! there aren't any splinters.

dear senators

Dear Minnesota Senators Franken and Klobuchar,

My name is K and I live in Minneapolis. I am 4 and a half.

I love PBS because it helps me learn. I also play games on pbskids.org to learn to read and count. It is my favorite. I love Elmo, Sesame Street, DinoTrain, and Peep and the Big Wide World; I saw a show about tamarins, my favorite animal, that was great. I learn about the world by watching PBS and listening to NPR. Those are the only tv and radio we watch and listen to in our home. Please give money to PBS and NPR. Here is $1 to help pay for it.

From
K


Dear Minnesota
My name is R and I am 6 and a half years old and in first grade.

NPR lets me listen to facts and news from all over the world. For example, I learned about the protests in Egypt and Wisconsin before a lot of people because I listen to MPR! My favorites are “Car Talk,” “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,” “All Things Considered,” “Midmorning,” “Midday,” and “Science Friday.”

PBS lets learn and explore the world and have fun. I want television with no commercials and good shows like “DinoTrain,” cooking shows, animal shows (National Geographic), “Electric Company,” “Sid the Science Kid,” and all the other fun shows.

In our home, we only watch PBS and we only listen NPR. They are important to us. They help me learn about my country, my community, and my world. They help me be a better citizen.

Please support NPR and PBS! I love them!
The government only gives about $1 for each person for NPR and PBS. I have saved my money and am sending $2 to help pay for them. They are important to me.

From
R

Specs

Check em out!

sunday morning play

kids are playing that they are superheroes helping the egyptian protestors depose the president "who does not want to step down after thirty years. we will help the protestors be safe."

continuation continued

Me: why do you want to be like dad?
K: because he is a man. because he is a man like Pa (little house on the prairie) who built the railroads. because i want to be a pilot and be a man and wear black uniform (suit) up and down when i fly a plane.
Me: you can be a man. but you could also be a woman pilot.
K: no. i just want to be a man.

interesting feminist parent experiences. she has ideas about the flexibility of gender expression. but then has more rigid ideas about gendered roles. so she is not a liberal feminist, but perhaps a genderqueer feminist...

late night conversations continued

K: I want to be like dad. but with glasses.

K: have you been in a hospital besides for your knee surgery?
Me: yes, your brother was born in a hospital.
K: did you have to go?
Me: yes.
K: why?
Me: because he was in my body.
K: did they have to do anything? like take your blood pressure?
Me: well they were not helpful and didn't do much. but they were supposed to.
K: does it hurt when they take your blood pressure?
Me: no
K: not even one little bit?
Me: no