Buddy dropped a bombshell on us last night.
“I have a girlfriend,” he announced.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. So instead I decided to pry for more information.
Turns out he and “Madison,” as I’ll call her, have told everyone in class – kindergarten, mind you – that they are indeed “boyfriend/girlfriend.” But apparently this is a relationship fraught with drama, because it turns out Buddy and Madison both lost time at recess yesterday for pushing and shoving each other.
After we had a long chat about using “safe hands” at school, I started digging a little deeper.
“Why is she your girlfriend?” I asked.
“Because she’s the girl I like the most in my class.”
Hmmm. Seems reasonable.
“Do any of the other boys in your class have a girlfriend?”
“Noooo,” he immediately replied. “Well, Liam wants Alexis to be his girlfriend but she doesn’t want to.”
Oh, the drama!
“Is she pretty?”
And at that question, my 6-year-old giggled. “Oh yes!” The he said, “But sometimes she calls herself a strawberry or a grape.”
Huh?
Sensing my confusion, he clarified. “It’s when she wears all the same color. So if she wears all red she calls herself a strawberry.”
Coincidentally, my son wore an all red outfit on Monday. I thought he was trying to look like Spiderman, but now I think I was wrong.
Anyway, it is pretty funny. And it also got me thinking about “kindergarten significant others.” My cousin and his wife were actually kindergarten sweethearts who reunited decades later, thanks to the wonders of Facebook. My sister had a “boyfriend” in kindergarten who gave her a locket that he stole from his mother’s jewelry box. Oh, and they used to kiss on the bus.
I don’t remember having any romantic suitors in kindergarten, although I do remember having a serious crush on a boy named Jonathan in first grade. We used to play house sometimes and pretend to be the mommy and daddy, and I would be giddy with delight at the prospect of our marriage.
But back to Buddy. Here’s what I’m curious about: has Madison told her parents about her new boyfriend? Do we invite her over for a playdate? Do we inquire about her dowry? What do I say if Buddy tells me that he kissed her?!? I’m not sure what the rules are here.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see where this romance goes and whether their relationship can survive a nearly week-long separation at Thanksgiving. You know how fleeting young love can be.
Question: Did you have a kindergarten significant other?