Uggh. It finally happenend. Beck's love of the color pink finally fell in disfavor when his summer school mates teased him about his girly pink lunchbox. Right now Max and Beck are among the youngest in the group and I believe most of the boys are quite comfortable conforming to traditional gender roles. Poor little thug. He is quite sensitive now, though he is strong and has a fierce temper. I could have prevented this hardship by censoring his selections, but that can only last so long. If we teach our children (boys or girls) to stand up for their own decisions and embrace the things they love then they will be self assured independent thinkers, right?

It's painful, and trust me I know from experience, but I think I'm better for it. I learned by my own accord, and went through many years of generic conformity to avoid ridicule. I made myself invisible by blending in and making choices that went along with the crowd. So boring. Still, they were my choices. I hope Beck stays strong--loving all colors of the rainbow, asking to wear my Goody stretch headbands, and buying "girl" books like Pinkalicious at the book fair. He may be a twin, but to me, he's one of a kind.