Pet Peeve
Playing the "stupid card" is one of the biggest pet peeves I have concerning women and girls. It drives me so nutty that anytime I see some female in public playing that card I just want to call her out on it! "really, I mean, really are you seriously that stupid or are you thinking somehow acting like that will benefit you in some way?". It has always bugged me too, this is not something that came with parenting four girls and aging. Nope, I remember this one girl in particular in high school who drove me crazy because she thought being stupid made her appealing in some way. Now that I am raising four girls what you should know and they have all already figured out, is that nothing sets me off faster than one of them playing the "stupid card". As a matter of fact I go off on a whole little tangent on why this is absolutely not OK under my roof! It goes something like this:

"Do you realize how many other women before us fought to get the men of this country to understand that we are just as capable as they are to make decisions concerning our freedoms and rights? Do you get that when you act like you are an uneducated female that it is a direct disrespect and slap in the face to each of those women who fought for us! Do you realize that you leave room for the men of this country to second guess the law that was put forth so that we had voting rights? not only that but what exactly do you think you will gain by acting like you are clueless? It is neither cute or funny to play that 'stupid card'. You may gain a laugh but you will lose respect, and what is more important to be respected or to be laughed at? By acting dumb you will gain nothing positive...nothing!"

Each of my girls can probably quote this verbatim because unfortunately I have come to realize in the last couple of years that sometimes people just really are clueless. As a matter of fact one of my daughters (omitting her name although if you know us well I'm sure you can pick her out..ha!) is just this way. Boy does she drive me crazy, and I promise you she really doesn't try at all to act like a dumb blond. What you have to know too, is that she is so freakin' smart it is unbelievable, but book smarts and common sense are as different as the sun and moon and I know that first hand!

Just last week this daughter had to go potty as soon as she ran in from the school bus. She raced upstairs and sat down, pottied and then I heard her say "mom, the toilet sprayed all over me" Knowing who this child is I braced myself for what I would find. By the time I got into the bathroom one of my other daughters is frustrated at her sister saying "why do you think you got wet?" shoulders shrug "well duh you didn't put the lid up!" Seriously? I think. she did not put the seat up and could not for the life of her figure out why her pee didn't go IN the toilet? Then just this morning I was loading the dishwasher as the kids were sitting and eating some cereal. This daughter of mine was talking and holding the milk jug and not paying any attention to the fact that all the other kids still needed milk. I said to her "please put the milk on your cereal so everyone else can start eating." what did she do? looked at me with a puzzled look, then proceeded to try and balance the jug of milk on her cereal bowl! OH MY GOSH! I said "what are you doing?" she answered very sincerely by saying "you said to put the milk on my cereal" OOps, my mistake I needed to say pour some milk on your cereal then hand the jug over to someone who has not yet had any milk. I have finally gotten her to stop putting her winter coat, shoes, earrings, etc. in her hamper too. Yes, she used to do that because I was always picking up every one's clothes off the floor and made the mistake of ranting "if you wear it, it is your responsibility to get it from your body to the hamper!" Boy, did she take that to the extreme! Logically she has to know that I am not going to throw her earrings in the washing machine and fold them up and put them away in her jewelry case. I swear to you, it is like living with Amelia Bedelia. Love the books but have to say it gets a little old always being taken so literally!

So, the whole point is, if you to are like me and have the pet peeve of "the stupid card" just know that sometimes, no matter how hard their mothers have tried some girls are really just so book smart that they sacrifice their smarts in other areas. Besides..... it might be just a bit entertaining!