Ima 2 Eight

… or “Why didn’t I start doing this sooner?”

My 8 yo twin boys did a rare thing this evening, and asked me if they could do something to help me, something “important”. I mentioned a couple of tasks that apparently just didn’t seem so interesting.

Then I told them we could have a contest; one could peel a parsnip and the other a carrot, and we will see who finishes first. They suddenly jumped at the chance. (And in doing so had cut my soup veggies for Shabbat.)

Exhilarated by the competition, they asked for more. I told them I would set a timer and see how many potatoes they could peel in ten minutes.

I have written before that I am a sexist, and that I think men are hotwired to be exclusionary, and tribal, and that they don’t like competing with women.

But I also think they are hotwired to want to compete with each other. And if speaking their language means they will peel an entire bag of Shabbat potatoes for me in 8 minutes and 20 seconds, then I am all for adapting.

Contests and races for boys to get help getting ready for Shabbat? Why didn’t I think of this sooner??????