A Note on Daddies and Daughters
My stepdaughter invited me this evening to attend a church-sponsored event called a Daddy-Daughter Date. I, of course, graciously accepted the invitation and looked forward to a wonderful evening with my stepdaughter. I hadn't anticipated, however, that my Daddy-Daughter Date would be attended by nearly 25 twelve and thirteen year-old girls and their hapless fathers.
We, fathers, arrived with our lovely children but were unceremoniously dumped at the door to the churchhouse as our girls swarmed into various groups buzzing about the comings and goings at school and the newest fashions and who the cute guy was and whom he liked. I was curious about these discussions, and so, as the other fathers banded into their own groups to discuss the weather, hunting stories, and other equally unimportant subjects, I tried like a well-trained anthropologist to eavesdrop on the girls' discussions.
Yes, school and fashion and even boys figured prominently in their discussions, but mostly they just talked about which girls were nice and which were mean. It was as if they were busy establishing a social pecking order. They laughed and guffawed at seemingly insignificant remarks made by others just to be seen laughing and guffawing at such remarks. It was fascinating. I am sure that boys engage in the same kinds of interactions, but I suspect more burping, passing gas, and general goofiness is involved.
As the evening finally came to an end, my stepdaughter gave me a big hug, thanked me for attending and then promptly walked home with her two girlfriends. I, on the other hand, drove the minivan home by myself as I listened to the 80's station. Ahhh, good times.
We, fathers, arrived with our lovely children but were unceremoniously dumped at the door to the churchhouse as our girls swarmed into various groups buzzing about the comings and goings at school and the newest fashions and who the cute guy was and whom he liked. I was curious about these discussions, and so, as the other fathers banded into their own groups to discuss the weather, hunting stories, and other equally unimportant subjects, I tried like a well-trained anthropologist to eavesdrop on the girls' discussions.
Yes, school and fashion and even boys figured prominently in their discussions, but mostly they just talked about which girls were nice and which were mean. It was as if they were busy establishing a social pecking order. They laughed and guffawed at seemingly insignificant remarks made by others just to be seen laughing and guffawing at such remarks. It was fascinating. I am sure that boys engage in the same kinds of interactions, but I suspect more burping, passing gas, and general goofiness is involved.
As the evening finally came to an end, my stepdaughter gave me a big hug, thanked me for attending and then promptly walked home with her two girlfriends. I, on the other hand, drove the minivan home by myself as I listened to the 80's station. Ahhh, good times.
posted by Cool Dad at Wednesday, March 02, 2005
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