It's a Boys' World ... I Just Don't Understand!

So yesterday, I took 6 boys to the Sci Fi Lounge at Crestwood Plaza. What a neat place for gamers, sci fi geeks and boys in general. These guys loved looking at the different displays around the shop…Transformers, Star Wars, Micro Machines, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and more. They had fun playing “vintage” video game machines like Atari, the original Nintendo and Play Stations as well as good old pinball machines.  They refer to this place as a “toy museum” and it really is…but I think they should add the words “for boys”. 

Now I do realize there are girls out there who like the aforementioned things.  I myself liked playing pinball and I tried my hand at a few video games, but all in all it reminds me how inept I’ve always felt playing with “boy” toys. I first noticed this when my little boy began to really “play” with his cars and trains. That’s when I realized that I am physically incapable of making the right noises for engines revving, cars crashing, etc.  It’s just gotten progressively worse.

As my son grew older, his interests turned to Power Rangers. He and his little friend Pete would dress up in their Power Ranger costumes and battle throughout the house, but when Pete wasn’t around and I had to fill in as a Power Ranger…geesh…I just didn’t get it. I could bust out a few karate moves, but beyond that…I got nothing.  That wasn’t nearly as bad as his Pokemon phase.  Seriously the kid speaks to me in a different language.  It’s all crazy names, health points, power points…how’s a girl to keep it straight?!?

Jake also likes to try to teach me how to play games on our Wii. Now keep in mind, I held the high score for Pac Man on the original Atari for quite a while in my house.  I even did pretty well maneuvering Mario through Super Mario World on our old Nintendo. But now…they’ve gone and thrown Mario, Luigi and the lot into outer space on some rotating orbs where you have to not only navigate through levels, but hope you don’t fall off. It’s impossible! I don’t even know how they fit so many control buttons on a controller.  Give me my little joystick and I’m happy.

So…my answer to all of this is…I’ll open up a little girl’s world. Maybe I’ll move in right across the mall from Mr. Coyote. I’ll hang stuffed animals from my ceiling, set up doll houses, dress up areas, and the best of all…a little Barbie doll world. My mom still has my old dream house. You remember…the white one with yellow and orange trim? It had rooms I could set up with furniture and “play house”! I get that. I can make the dolls talk to each other…much like we humans do. They can cook, go to school, drive in their Barbie cars…this I can do! Wish I hadn’t sold my daughter’s “Grand Hotel” last year, but I’m sure I can go to garage sales, antique dealers, etc. and find all I need. Wouldn’t it be perfect? Then the kids could choose whichever lounge speaks to them. And I’d know how to play.

But those boys sure were cute! I have to give them that!!