Love’s Young Dream

Just when I think I have nothing to blog about, my eight year old comes home and confides in me all the details of his love life so, being sensitive to his tender age and vulnerable relationship status…I’ve decided to share it with you, my lovely readers (he’s so going to hate me when he’s older).

Over the last couple of days J’s been toying with the idea of asking out a girl at school who he’s liked for a while.  It’s the same girl to whom he sent a Valentine’s card and who, even though according to her mum was really pleased, still said no.  Despite that he’s decided that he’s no longer going to be embarrassed about liking her; he does and that’s that so he’s not going to be afraid to say so anymore.  Good for him, I admire his tenacity; ‘faint heart never won fair lady’ after all.

Despite the bravado, he still didn’t think he had the courage to ask her himself…so he asked me if I would do it.  Hmm.  I had to break it to him gently that getting your mum to ask out your girlfriends does not a cool dude make and that maybe approaching one of her friends to do it would be a wiser course of action.  He agreed and decided on the perfect friend: ‘I’ll ask E, she’s really nice, she’s friends with both of us and I trust her.’

I applauded his choice, all the while wondering that if he likes this friend so much then why doesn’t he just ask her instead?  I managed to keep my mouth shut though as nothing puts a nail in the coffin of a fledging romance more than your mum saying she approves of your choice of beau or even worse, trying to play Cupid.

Yesterday he chickened out of the task but this morning his dad and I told him today might be a good day as it’s a Friday, so if she turns him down there’s the weekend to get over any rejection and embarrassment (not that we’re going off past experience or anything).  When he hesitated I told him the worst she can say is ‘no’ (all the while sending her telepathic threats that she’d better not say anything more hurtful than ‘no’ or she’d better sleep with one eye open).

He came out of school declaring he had some bad news…the object of his affection loves another boy.  He didn’t look especially heartbroken because in his words, ‘She loves him even though he doesn’t love her back!  It’s daft to love someone who doesn’t even love you back, isn’t it Mum?’ I agreed it was but that sometimes that’s how it works (aware of just the teensiest-weensiest touch of bitterness in my voice that spoke of past unrequited loves of my own).

Snapping myself out of my tortured thoughts I predictably added if she doesn’t see how special he is then he’s too good for her and he should look for someone else (I know, I know, I’m going to be the mother-in-law from hell).

To add insult to injury, the boy who has currently stolen her heart went out with someone else and ‘dumped’ her after two days.  ‘My relationship with H lasted miles longer than that, didn’t it mum?  All the way from Year 3 into Year 4!’  Trying not to smile at his use of the term ‘relationship’ I agreed that it did indeed last much longer (about eight weeks of barely speaking to each other although she did come for her tea once).

Then, with the resilience that only belongs to the young, J then went on to tell me that one of his female ‘co-stars’ in the school play has suggested their roles are changed to make them ‘man and wife’.  I stayed silent and simply smirked which he correctly interpreted as ‘Oh really?’ And although he exclaimed ‘Muuummm!’ in utter mortification…he then admitted he thinks she does actually fancy him because she always makes a point of smiling and speaking to him.

When pressed further he reluctantly conceded with a shy smile that she’s ‘hottish’; praise indeed.  I’m obviously going to work on his ability to pay a sincere compliment before he asks this one out…you need to start young; his dad still hasn’t got the hang of it at the age of thirty six.

Love’s young dream indeed.  Watch this space because you just know I’ll spill my guts on here if he gets a girlfriend.