Boys will be boys

Some of my readers know that I have kids.

They are two boys and it is fascinating to observe and runinate on the nature versus nuture debate.

I was standing in the kitchen making a cup of tea, admiring my lands when there is a fevered shout from the Garden.

Now, my garden has trees, sticks, sheds, climbing frames and all sorts of stuff to divert a young mind. I generally leave them to it, as I was, when I was their age. There is something satisfying knowing that they are out there, playing, digging and generally do what boys do in roomy gardens. I.e Generally not being wrapped in cotton wool, collecting scrapes, exploring and making swords from sticks.

The shout came and my thoughts ran from scrape, to a cut, to a fully fledged visit to A&E.

A face appeared round the door.

"Dad, come and look at this. Quuuuick"
"In a minute son and heir of mine" I replied
"No, its really cool come NOW!" quoth 6 year old

Dad stumps out to the garden dragged to a bit where i find younger son crouching down.

I espy a large starling that is really quite dead and getting to be rather high in the heat.

The boys are fascinated.

Young son asks if it is dead (amazingly perceptive for 3). I reply that it is indeed dead and he reflects that this is sad and reaches out to stroke the dead bird. (Which i found quite touching).

"Dont touch" i said - thinking of maggots, fleas, mites and so forth.

"Ok dad" they both said in unison as i went to get a bag to remove said creature.

As I rummaged in the kitchen for a bag and something to scrape up its earthly remains there comes a question.

"Daaaaad?" says older one
"yes" says i wondering what was coming.
"Can I poke it with a stick?"

I leapt into the garden to see eldest with a 5ft bamboo cane prodding the dead animal to see what happened.

For some reason i found this strangely funny. And in a way heartwarming.

You see, when i was a kid and many of my generation will agree. Summer holidays meant long, lazy afternoons with nothing on the telly (well there were only 3 channels and they didnt start till the evening - unless the test match was on - my poor brutes have to put up with about 600 channels on 24/7) and we made our own fun. Much of this would just be "mucking about". I know for a fact that a dead bird would elicit exactly the same response from a boy of 6 in the early 70s.

Prodding it with a stick. Preferably with a view to flinging the dead animal at your brother for maximum amusement.

It is reassuring that some things never change, and boys will be boys. Bless em

Wakey-wakey

Listen old chap, I'm aware of your gradual decline into the status of deck-chair, but time has surely come to say something......