Girls should be shepherds...

At the boys' Christmas program tonight I learned another tidbit to add to my "the amazing things I've learned while raising boys" file.  Shepherds in a nativity scene should probably be played by girls.

But I'll get to that.

First- some pictures of my cuties in their "performance" tonight.

 KJ's class rang bells and sang "Silent Night" and he also got the honor of being a shepherd in the nativity scene. 

 

Cbug's class sang "Away in a Manger" and were dressed like animals in the stable.  Isn't my sheep the sweetest?

Our sweet friend KRF after the show.  She did an amazing job as the "S" in "C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s"

 And afterwards, as has become our tradition after school performances, we celebrated at Starbucks with "coffee milk". 

(yes, KJ is dressed like a dragon- thanks Uncle J).

So, not too long ago a posted a story about one of Cbug's not-so-shining-star-moments.  And it wouldn't be fair for only Cbug to be publicly humiliated on his Momma's blog.  So it's KJ's turn.  We are now to the part of the post where I explain why boys should not be shepherds. 

The answer is in one word. 

STAFFS.

Staffs that can be spun like batons. 

 Staffs that can be used as guns....and pointed towards the angels on the back row.

AND Staffs that can be used as swords for a fight with another shepherd and ulitmately shoved into the other shepherds ear...requiring one shepherd's mother to go onto the stage during the performance, scowl at said shepherd and remove the staff/sword/gun/baton from the shepherd's possession.  Leaving that certain shepherd looking a bit like this...

(Note the tipped poinsetta to the right that was a casualty during the "amicable" sword fight)

I so wish that the fact that I went on stage during the preschool performance to take away my son's weapon was the end of the story.  But it is not.  The director of the preschool, KJ's teacher, and the chapel teacher (coordinating the show) ALL missed the shepherd nonsense.  Each class was performing their songs in front of the nativity scene- and that was where their attention was focused.  So, when KJ started crying, the director of the school noticed and thought KJ was crying because he missed singing with his class (yep- he'd been so busy with his staff he forgot to go to the front of the stage with his class to sing "Silent Night").  When KJ realized why she thought he was crying and discovered that despite his inappropriate use of the staff, she was actually apologizing to HIM for the oversight...she was like puddy in his hands.  He totally pulled out all of the pouty-lip-pitifulness-drama he could muster and next thing we know they were letting his class come back on stage to redo their entire (two song) performance just so he could be part of it.  SERIOUSLY.  And after the show he had all of the ladies of the school staff swooning and apologizing. 

He's good.  He's real good.

UNTIL he got a very stern talking to about how shepherds should and shouldn't act and how he might have them all fooled but his momma wasn't fooled in the slightest.  Yeah, then he changed his tune.

I must say, though, I wasn't too hard on him. I try to have reasonable expectations for my kids.  And asking a four-year-old boy to sit still with a stick (excuse me, I mean staff) in his hand for 30 minutes is anything but reasonable.  So we moved on to praise of his amazing singing talents and bell-ringing skills.  And did a lot of giggling behind his back and making mental notes not to forget how much I genuinely love this age and making these memories.

And next year- maybe, just maybe, the Shepherds should be played by girls.

ABL