“Chique” & Cool

Last night’s dinner conversation sparked some interesting thoughts. Lately our hot topics are swimming, Minecraft or just the usual stuff like catching up on the days events. A time I look forward to most, when we are just hanging out as a family around the kitchen island. So, when Parker started talking about one of the kids in his class who doesn’t bring much to the table (pardon the pun) the discussion took a turn. Parker exclaimed “He thinks he is so cool, but really, he’s not!”.

I took this pivotal moment to ask a deeper rhetorical question. What makes someone cool these days? As adults we are perfectly aware that life has changed as we know it. Thinking to myself should I be afraid of the answer? And to my surprise, I was greeted with the best answer a parent could ask for, especially in this day and age. PJ chimes in “Well, if you are sweet, kind, gentle and nice you must be cool!” One of those proud moments that deserves to be documented. Nice to have a phrase, that I use repeatedly, come right back at me.

We will leave out the countless times my naughty words have been used against me. Like the time PJ told Matt “Dada, guess what? Mama called me a “God Damn It”. That was another life lesson! “God Damn It” is not a noun, but an expression for frustrated grown ups only. I am still apologizing for that one, my friends.

It is comforting to know that cool is no longer the popular kid with no manners or the bully who convinces everyone that he is the coolest. I am sure it still exists, but glad to know my boys have a different definition. We also decided to add smart and funny to the list!

While parenting is never easy, sometimes you are reminded that they are actually listening to you. And I hope that our boys continue to live by these rules, as along the way, the world will throw them some serious curve balls that will continue to challenge them. In the meantime, we have to keep guiding them toward the high road.

On another note, I think they are both pretty cool and “Chique” themselves. What do you think defines cool?