boys learn lock picking
in middle school locker rooms
(the same day they
roll condoms down bananas--
inflating egos, as if...)
while dads umm and ahh
through awkward conversations
on living room couches
during desperate housewives
about things their sons
learned online by age eight;
no wonder there are scars
on so many lock faces.
What can you say in 55 words? Give it a try or just read more, go see g-man.
And for more keyhole musings, check out Magpie Tales.
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129 comments:
So much more exposure now than when we were boys. Of course, I was brought up in a cave and my Dad invented fire, but that's another story. Great 55. My 55 is HERE .
do schools actually do the whole rolling the condom down the banana thing?
I do not want to know all the mysterious things they will pick up on the internet, but will have to know anyway when the time is right.
umm, ahhh
errr
Not there yet, thank God. happy Thursday Brian
Fine writing, Brian.
Kids learn so much at school... education comes later in life...
This was an enjoyable read, Brian. So often we believe that school prepares us for life, when in reality it really doesn't it.
Loved this. And the photo.
My husband has told me things about boys as they grow up and what things they try and do....
girls would be amazed.
I know I was.....
thanks for the insight into the growing up of the opposite sex.
I am way behind in my blog reading..had company at our house for over a week..that is why I haven't commented. I have missed reading your blog and hope to get caught up soon.
Really liked this ... you caught it (the feeling) perfectly.
Very perceptive piece. You've tapped into something here. Very thought-provoking.
Kat
Banana. Condom. Tee hee. :)
A great last line: "no wonder there are scars
on so many lock faces". From now on I will always look for those scars
I know! I totally want to keep my boys away from all of that, but nowadays, what's a parent to do! Once mine are a little older, I'm going to be so strict they will probably hate me, but oh well!
Loved the flow of this one Brian. Such lovely observation. The wacky world of parenting and schools. Love it.
Well written - scary being a parent of a young boy. I am thankful that my son got through those years well.
Well written - scary being a parent of a young boy. I am thankful that my son got through those years well.
I'm grateful my boys and I survived their childhood and adolescence!
What Middle school did you go to?
But I guess you had to learn somewhere.
Fantastic 55 Son..
You did real Good!
Thanks for your weekl...er Daily Brilliance.
Have a Kick Ass Weeki-End...G
Insightful, with sad vivid ironies throughout the 55. Great write, Bri
extraordinary, brian...most adults don't posess the guts, the heart, or the concern to do the work of parenting that we were meant to do.
"no wonder there are scars on so many lock faces"...what a great line...LOL {while blushing}!!!!!!
It's a brand new world. I'm sort of glad my two sons (and my daughter) grew up with a little less world-wide information! Great 55, Brian!
they surely do learn at much earlier ages today don't they?
No wonder, indeed!
There's another kind of lock - parental lock - on cable TV - and passwords on computers!
Well, I do not have any children of my own (and not by choice)....but I have a niece and nephew and I cannot believe some of the things they learn nowadays. Crazy! I used to think school prepared us for real life...not sure if I really believe that anymore.
Again, great writing. I am always eager to see what you write next, so keep it coming! :)
Oh boy this one was fun
I had a big smile all the way through reading it...
poor dads nowadays
what a great perspective!! that is an awesome 55. i got one up myself this week
Bri:
strong and profound
what a great story from the lock's perspective
Always a gr8 55
Great magpie--you explained alot about young men --never knew about the banana thing..but I will refrain from asking my son about it...bkm
Great words Brian...I've raised 2 boys to manhood and had enough of these talks with them...:)...now I've got another...God help me! :)
PS I've missed reading your words. XX
Killer lines, as always, Mr. Miller. You caught the true essence of fathers and sons in a most original way.
That is awkward without a doubt!
If I hear so much as the word banana in the room, I swear I'd bolt right out the door! Ha! ;-)
Ooooh -- nice one. That last line caught me by surprise and had me rereading the whole thing, and liking it even better the second time.
Not sure I'll ever enjoy my morning banana again --
:-S
Wow, I always wondered what happened in the boys' locker room. :-) I'm not gone yet!
Nicely done, Brian!
right on.
This gave me a whole new insight to my 4 brothers. or maybe my son.
like how you've put this together - and yep - there's way too much they "learn" online age 8 and not ready to deal with it..
Oh, please, tell me the banana thing isn't part of official "human sexuality" education. When my oldest was 10, the mother of one of his friends told me he'd had "that conversation "with her son, also 10. And he had it all right. He scared the daylights out of the kid.
wow this is brilliant!
Wow! Tremendous.
Take care.
All the best, Boonsong
This was, in many ways, like being a fly on the wall! Brill.
Great write Brian. Kids do learn a lot in School. Though, it's life that teaches them more compared to that in schools.
sigh so much to do as a parent LOL!
My eldest (wise beyond his years) has known the basics since he was very young... the twins... well that is another matter LOL they are so young!! When the time comes though ill teach them...or have them read this LOL (so joking)
nah ill just give them a banana LOLOL
xxm
Oh really? I don't think boys in sleepy Sweden start quite that early! ;-)
So you're the one stealing everyone's textbooks and selling them on eBay.
A ha!
And I thought it was just the drunks leaving the marks.
Very true and great words at the end.
Seems there is so much going on for kids, I wonder if they can ever just be kids agin. take care Brian, be well.
Enjoyed this Magpie - yes locker room secrets...
My son just said dad in that sorrowful, pitying tone reserved for parents. Just a fun 55 today!
Who needs sex education classes when we have peers teaching and TV commercials!!!!
Loved this 55!!
Hugs
SueAnn
is it that bad? Did you have such an awkward conversation with your sons already?
I've never regretted going to an all girls school.
poor boys,
poor dads,
poor men,
life is not easy...
great writing!
ps.
you could give me some of your WOrds...:)
"lock picking" cycles around to "lock faces" with many life keys in between! Very clever!
That is an awkward stage both for the children and the parents. Do you feel the connection to your Father and his now?
Kat
Ha! I have a 12 year old daughter, so I would rather not know what the boys are doing or thinking!
Good one!
Yeah, right, bananas.... ok!
After the fiasco of my sex education at school I resolved to explain the theory to my son ... OMG, I think I went too far... grins.
I never left a scar on a lock, we were taught caution, and I always wondered why they used something as small as a banana for the demonstration.
goofball, not yet, completely that is...they are 5 & 7...though we do have some pretty open conversations and have spoke in general terms about a lot of things...i have had a conversation with my 7 year old about some of the things on the internet being not good for him...
Oh this brought back memories. In the 60's when we really did not have to lock our doors just yet, but on occasion had to, I learned as a kid how to pick a simple lock. Anyway, great 55 Brian. Blessings.
An unusual take on the prompt. Very good.
I like the brevity.
You got alot in those few words. When I grew up lock picking was just part of life. Interesting that dads still unn and ahh when trying to speak about specific subjects boys need to learn from their dads. Probably more cases of dads deciding now is the time to teach son about life and dad is already too late. You brought it through, the lock faces.
Yes, they learn so much so early now. It's very sad. If it were fact maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but ya gotta do a lot of combatting negative and false info by the time our kids reach the age in which we were just asking about this stuff when we were that age.
so different since we were little 'uns...
Mines up too.
Wonderful piece,Brian! Oh, those awkward conversations! Me, I got my sex education (such as it was back in the Fifties) from reading trashy historical fiction.
I may sound old fashioned but I find it a little sad that the kids are exposed to sex so soon ... it's everywhere, completely everywhere and I really don't see why we have to have a sex context even when we buy a toothpaste ... anyway grandma spoke ... lol .. but ... have a wonderful weekend Brian
terrific! Have a great Friday :)
Haha. Absolutely perfect. Boys will indeed, be boys!
The "information highway". I kind of liked it when I didn't know so much :) but like most things, as parents we have to guide, even into the unknown, but I didn't know that boys rolled condoms down bananas! I guess I'll have to ask my husband about that one! Have a great weekend!
We only ever learned about the birds and the bees (literally) when I was at school, but then that was in the dark ages! ;)
Wish little boys didn't have to grow up so fast now a days!!
wow...kids DO learn things so much younger than we did!
Brian, I am now following you because you seem to be commenting on all my favorite bloggers sites just before me. I do watch DH and enjoy the silliness. Condoms and bananas? I hope they are still in their peels.
Well said, so much awkwardness and discomfort.
An interesting look into boyhood. Life is what teaches us about life.
Oh so true what little boys learn nowadays! Nice piece today!
Wow it is so interesting how times have changed... Bananas!! I don't recall having any sex ed at school & I think a group of adolescent young men, with bananas & condoms would have produced nothing but fun & games. My boys would have seriously lost it in a hysterical way.
I am so pleased that you chose a picture of a lock & not a banana in a rain coat. tee! hee! hee!...I do apologize but I am feeling particularly cheeky tonight...have a great week end Brian..great 55!
Innoncence is such a fleeting quality these days. Whether lost through the internet or at the hands of one who should protect us.
I fight to keep the balance between innocence and naivety with my daughter.
Oh yes.. they're learning much earlier these days. Nicely done.
I totally agree! I remember when Super Bad came out . . . I could NOT watch it with my sister. I couldn't believe what they were saying on the TV. I switched the channel. She was like, "I'm not a little kid you know . . ." She was right. She was like 18, but still . . . EWWWW.
haha! I totally agree. Thanks for the inside scoop on boys.
oh yes- raising boys to be good men...nice Magpie!
I had a friend try to teach me to pick a lock when I was a kid...I was inept, good thing I didn't want to become a thief when I grew up!!! It is amazing though the things little boys figure out how to do. What baffles me is where these ideas come from in the first place!
That was great! I'm terrified when my little boy gets older...why can't they stay innocent until they're 21...at least:)
That was great! I'm terrified when my little boy gets older...why can't they stay innocent until they're 21...at least:)
The hands can be pretty unsteady, burdened by such knowledge at a tender (tender?) age.
I love the image of "lock faces". Such a nice take on the prompt -- luckily, I raised girls. :)
Yeah, sometimes I think we should ask them to tell us about ...umm...ahh...
no wonder there are scars
on so many lock faces
Brilliant!
Interesting take on locks and coming of age.
Neatly written. I'm guessing the stock answer to fathers these days is, 'what do you want to know, dad?'
Oh man this one was awesome. Love the photo and the connection. Top notch - one of my favorites.
For my oldest, that time will come before we know it. Scary.
No wonder women sometimes feel like objects.... LOL
PG
it is rather frightening the ways our kids learn things and at an early age...then they are left to make their own conclusions if we dont talk with them about it...
thanks for the love...i really wasnt pleased with this one when i published it but...
kids nowadays know more than us mate lol, strange as they still get into trouble at too early an age, great write :)
That last line is just fantastic!
a very nice take on the theme. So real!
You managed to capture puberty in just a few words!!! I am so glad the illustration was a lock and not the "dressed" banana .........
All I can say is ... thank goodness my child rearing days are behind me and I can just watch my child raise my grandchildren ... from a safe distance ... spoiling them rotten. But I DO remember those sex talks with my boys .......... and my daughter.
Wow. So true. Two boys and one is 16- I rememeber when I knew everything at that age...
Excellent magpie!
excellent writing...in just 55 words you conveyed so much...
Great piece!
We do not have sex education in India, so our children learn in odd ways. I remember my son reading it in the children's encyclopedia with illustrations and all & then not speaking to us for days. In the end he 'accepted' it, when we told him that his grandparents also did it ( he revers his grandparents as role models) :D
Cute 55ve!
Another great metaphor. We can't protect them completely, but we can equip them with the correct info. I'm lucky that my 13 year old will ask me ANYTHING. Makes for some interesting talks...Really liked this one, Brian.
Ah, the milestones of youth!
Dear Brian: Great job in 55 words! Could this fit in 140 letter count (thinking Twitter here)? Repost? Permission slip? The perrenial teacher for the parental angst. Those 8 year old boys must have it tough and rough thus the "invisible" scars. As a brain-box which ought never to be locked has been compromised by terror via "too much information" for such a young age. A truly amazing poem!
Perfection Brian you nailed both the 55er and the Magpie, with one swoop a great little parody and by means of being humorous, satiric poem.
Joanny
Yes indeed Brian,
I am so ready, waiting for my Mr5 to venture on the Internet (age 8? 9?). I am going to be looking over his shoulder like nobody's business. I am a firm believer that kids should never go online except on a computer,in the living room, so they can be supervised at all times.
Brian,
Your writing makes me think.
Thank you for visiting and commenting on my blog. I'll be back here soon.
Thank you for this eloquent inside into the mind of a boy.;))
xo
Me, on the other hand, were a good boy. :P
Great bit of writing, Brian. :)
I really like this one!
And it brought back a funny memory of Mom, little Sis and watching a soap opera at the age of 8. Sis turned to Mom and asked, "If Rachel is married to Russ, how can she have Steve's baby?" And so "the talk" began. :)
It's amazing that we live in the same world! But you are poetically adept!!
Kudos to you!
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=29273583&postID=3452695282812741651
I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.
Once again a revelation, you keep telling me things I never knew.... do boys do that in schools today I wonder?
Christine
Lock picking! Oh my. I had the same idea - exhibited in a different way, of course! Good one, Brian.
wonderful!!
Well done Brian - and bring on the awkward conversations, easier to show where joy and satisfaction truly lie
Ah yes, the uncomfortable but necessary moments of life. Can't keep them locked away forever.
Nice one. Very nice.
Terrific!
What I want to know is, why the scars? Why is it so hard for us to talk to kids about love? Something so fundamentally wonderful?
Love your magpie question Brian.
That's a powerful one, Brian!
I saw the change as I was growing up... parents' awkward moments, the "things" being taught in school.. my own uncomfortable moments, and then the change in my own behavior...
It's strange that I am still the same person :)
And you've presented this thought very beautifully here!
i like this a lot. I think the scarring comes from kids learning about life from school instead of being taught by their parents. But seriously, it's amazing how fast they teach them in class these days, which is not always a good thing.
Such talents young men acquire at an early age and you tell all so well.
Aaahhh, the experiences my husband will miss. You relate them so well.
As parents I guess our greatest hope is not to let them get too far ahead of us. Nice piece.
I am so glad our boys are grown, healthy and normal. It was iffy at times, with us for parents and all.
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