Bob the Dull Builder
I’ve come to the realization that I have absolutely no idea how to play with boy’s toys. The imagination just isn’t there. I’m not quite sure what you are supposed to do with a truck after you have pushed it back and forth across the carpet a couple of times. And ask Tony, I am horrible at making any kind of sound effect.
Joseph has a little “Bob the Builder” workshop that he absolutely loves, but I can only play with it for a couple of minutes at a time. After that, I’m out of ideas. What is Bob supposed to do??? I know that he is supposed to build things, but unless you keep buying expansion packs of click bricks, he doesn’t really have much to work with. You can’t comb his hair or even change his outfits. He just stands there. And when I make him talk I have the habit of making him have a high-pitched cartoonish voice anyway. How masculine is that? I’ve checked the manuals (by which I mean all of the “Bob the Builder” and truck books I can get my hands on from our local library), and they seem to help a little. I rip off lines from those books like teenagers rip off movie lines. It gets me by.
Who knows, maybe if I end up playing with girl’s toys when Renée gets older, I’ll find out that it’s not about girl vs. boy, it’s more about the fact that I’m a boring adult. But in the meantime I’ll blame it on gender. Until then, if you have any brilliant ideas or insight, I’m waiting for your advice.
posted by jennifer at 1:06 PM
3 Comments:
You are definitely not a boring adult! As for Bob, can he build it? Can he fix it? Can he do it? We KNOW he can! Hopefully Bob will help you teach Joseph how to be reliable and filled with self confidence. With a Bob-ish can-do attitude (and the great hairstyle and outfit that he can learn from Renée's girl-toys) Joseph will be all set!
You know what's fun? Crashing.
Aren't you trying to encourage Joseph's imagination anyway? Let him tell you what to do, then you're off the hook for coming up with ideas. Don't forget, you don't need the click bricks or whatever to pretend there's a wall or bricks or whatever Joseph wants to build. (I know, who am I, childless adult, telling you how to play with your kids?)
I never did the imagine-Barbie-was-having-interesting-conversation-with-Ken-on-their-date thing. I just dressed them up and stuck pins in their heads to hold the plastic hair in place, and then made them ride up and down in the elevator because pullies are fascinating. I guess I was a boring kid.
Haha :) When I worked in a toddler center, the boy used their tool kits to play hairdresser. I'll never forget Paulie getting his hair done with the aid of a hammer and screwdriver. :)
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