“The girls did a play today,” Milo said, wrinkling his nose. “They put on dresses and twirled and called everyone over to see. The second time only the girls came.”
“You could watch and clap and tell them they’re pretty,” I suggested, thinking I had a teachable moment for future relationships.
“When girls do a show, they don’t actually DO anything. They just get up there and talk. It’s SOOO boring!”
Yeah.
Girls think that “just talking” is the stuff of life. Boys think talking is purely a means accomplish something tangible. It’s an unbridgeable gulf, it seems.

“Come give me a kiss, I’m going to work!” Jeremiah called out, donning his jacket.

Naomi: “Why?”  Yup, she’s into the WHY phase these days.

Dad: “To earn money.”

Naomi: “I’m going to earn money.”

Dad, amused: “Oh yes, what are you going to do to earn money?”

Naomi:  “Mommy work.”

For a split second my brain makes a wry commentary about the lousy pay rate of “mommy work,” but swallowed it.  Instead I ask her:  “What is mommy work?”

Naomi:  “With plants.  And Milo can do daddy work, designing bridges.”

It’s interesting.  At three years old she has already decided that there are “girl jobs” and “boy jobs,” based on what she sees grownups doing.  Why this propensity to split the world into male/female??  And she’s happy to be a girl!  And do “girl jobs”!