Friday, August 04, 2006

Friday Ramble

I have a date on Saturday with an extremely attractive, witty man. Yes that’s right my partner and I are dropping off the little boo at his Aunt’s and we’re going out for dinner and a movie just like regular folk. We’ll probably spend the evening talking about E.

I now get why parents spend so much time talking about their kids. It’s especially chronic in their early years. You have to take your carefree, clutter-free life turn it upside down and then shake it. Now, turn it over and fill it with plastic toys, safety gear, and flying food.

On one hand I feel like I have a new instant connection with other parents. Parenting is neither gay nor straight it’s all the same really. When I see straight guys talking about sports I know that’s a world I’ll never enter into, but parenting I’m in. In these early years all parents are dealing with the same joys, wonders, and fears. I wonder/worry about the junior high and high school years though when the bigotry and fears of the parents begin to creep into the minds of the young adults. Trickier subjects like politics and sex ed enter into the discourse.

I have to remind myself that gay parents are still new. The whole rights movement is so fresh. If worse comes to worse I’m fully prepared to defend myself before the PTA if accused of wearing my mini-skirt too high and drinking and a-runnin' 'round with men and going wild.

8 comments:

Moncrief Speaks said...

I'm sure you'll sock it to those Harper Valley hypocrites if need be.

Enjoy your date night with your man.

Richard said...

Damn ... someone beat me to giving you kudos for the Jeannie C. Riley allusion. I love that song.

As a long-time parent recently embarking on being true to my sexuality, I feel like I am coming at the same sort of feelings but from the opposite direction. I look forward to reading about your journey.

BriteYellowGun said...

Oh believe me Brian, the bigotry and all that "fun" stuff seeps into their lives much earlier than the junior high years. Our 7 and 8 year olds have already been teased at school for having two dads. Even our kindergartner last year had kids tell him "Your dads are gay!" We explained to our kids 2 years ago what "Gay" means (in terms they could understand of course) and it's no big deal to them. Unfortunately there will always be hateful idiots out there poisoning their own kids' minds though. Enjoy your date night. I've forgotten what those are like!

Daddy Cool said...

Richard, that's interesting. I didn't realize you were a parent too.

BYG, yeah I'm sure it does happen earlier. Kids are always going to find something to tease about no matter what you do.

gayborhood gringo said...

I hope you are enjoying your date! Glad to see someone's getting to go on one. :)

Bacchus said...

It is funny about the instant connection with other parents. Tonight at the grocery store every mom had to stop and chat with our little charmer. They were guessing his age, giving us tips for his chin rash, etc.. It was kind of fun.

As for dealing with bigotry, we are approaching it the same way we will for other kinds of bullying. Some people are jerks, we learn to deal with them as we find them.

Enjoy your date night. They are so much fun. We try to take them once a month. Even if it is dinner out.

Anonymous said...

Great little moment there, I was transported back to my own childhood and thinking if Jeannie C. Riley had come to Rapid City then my life would have been infinitely improved (I would have know then that mini's would have been the way to go, rather than poodle's)......

Daddy Cool said...

I love that song. I had to figure out some way to work it in there. heh.