Ferocious Flirtations

When Carter was younger, we called him "Casanova Carter" because he had more lady friends than guys. But it was more making fun of him because we knew he still thought girls had cooties. But Fletcher's class seems to be more boy-girl crazy than any of our kiddos! Maybe his nickname should be "Flirtatious Fletcher" or "Female-Frenzed Fletcher"? He's had more crushes than an orange juice factory! And I regularly warn him to save his kisses for his Mama! His brothers rib him at the dinner table and he just laughs and says, "I know, right?" like he owns it that this week's crush is Ava, or is it Katie, or Sophia...? It's hard to keep them all straight.

But things seem to be getting steamy with a certain young second grader, whom we'll call Jane.  The other day he came home from school all upset that his friend on the bus was telling everyone that Jane liked Fletcher.  But when pressed for the source of this rumor, Fletcher sheepishly shared that he was the one who'd started it! Then another day he came home from school disgusted that said Jane had blown a kiss at him in the library! I've heard among the moms of boys that you have to watch out these days because it's the girls who chase the boys.  I feel like my 8th grader has grown up relatively unscathed by these ferocious flirtations but my second grader is being air-accosted in the library! Fortunately, he told the librarian and she's going to put a stop to it. But was pleased that they were at least remaining quiet in the library.

Then yesterday, when he got off the bus he, again, had that same sheepish look about him and without delay, backpack still on his shoulders, he asked "Mom, what do you do if your lips accidentally run into someone?" Holding back a laugh, I asked, "Do you mean if you accidentally kiss someone?"  He adamantly denied that occurrence and offered clarification that "No, if your lips run into someone." Baffled, I switched my interrogation method and suggested we try role playing so I could get a grasp of the scene of the said accident. Then he acts like he's tripping and runs into me, lips and all! I couldn't contain it at this point and laughingly reassured him that if you run into someone it doesn't count as a kiss, that he's still ok.

But I continue to worry because today he came home from school and asked, "Mom, what do you do if someone hugs you?"  Upon interrogation, it appears that he was being chivalrous and put a (different) young lady's books up on a high shelf for her and she repaid her knight in shining armor with a hug!

I think I need to enroll him in an all boys school, and fast!