1. “Ah, my little eight year old…” I held her hand as we walked the rounds at the indoor track.

She patted my hand: ‘Ah, mommy,” she chimed back, “my little forty year old…”

2. Recognizing gender preferences in the church: “Mom, have you ever seen a wedding with a girl pastor?”

3. Recognizing gender stereotypes: “You know, this book says girls have these things–he points to eyelashes–and boys don’t…That doesn’t make sense!!”

4. Revealing low expectations:

In a discussion of a potential prize in Air Canada gift cards, I ask my son: “Where do you want to fly to Zach?”

“Costco.”

Okay.

5. I think this is wise encouragement, I think:

“Moms are like turtles. As soon as they give birth, they tell them to go. Mom, you’re like a whale. You guide your kids to the surface to help them breathe“.

6. “Can you always be my lil boy?” I ask my son.

Matter of factly: “Oh, sorry. I’m gonna grow up and be a big man.”

7. High expectations:

“What should we do tomorrow?”

Our twelve year old: “Paris is always a good idea…”

8. Ahhh, my poetess: “Autumn is a second spring–where every leaf is a flower…”

9. After dropping the girls at voice class, I ask my son: “Do you want to go on a coffee date with me?”

He quizzically looks at me: “But I’m too young to go on a date–I’m just five & you’re twenty“.

Ha, you know it!

10. My five year old son asked me if he could pierce his ears…with all earnestness: “Please…I have sixty dollars!”

I respond, “You should go make your request to dad“.

“I did, he told me to come ask you.”