gymnastics.

Hayden has been doing gymnastics for a little over a month now. He goes to class every Wednesday evening (at 4:30pm). Class lasts 45 minutes. He is the youngest (the class is for children ages 3-5 and Hayden just turned 3 at the end of January). He is the smallest. He is also the only boy (there are 6 girls in the class).

The other day, I asked him whether it bothered him that he is the only boy in his class. Hayden’s response: “No. I like the girls.” So, I guess at this point in time being the only boy amongst females doesn’t bother him (we’ll see if this sentiment changes in the future). And it’s true: Hayden does like "the girls."

During one class, I was talking with another parent and she mentioned that her husband would never allow her sons to do gymnastics (Note: Her sons were there watching their sister participate in the same class that Hayden is in. I noticed that one of her son’s paid a lot of attention to Hayden; saying things like, “look at that boy mommy” and “see that boy mommy.”)

It made me sad that her sons would be forbidden to participate in gymnastics because of their gender. It also made me think of Hayden. Is it weird that we “let him” do gymnastics? I think not. He likes it. It is something that he enjoys. We plan on letting him do gymnastics until he decides that he doesn’t want to do it anymore. That may be next week, next month, next year, or never. Who knows?

But right now, he is having “too much fun” doing gymnastics with the girls – and that makes me happy.

this is Hayden in his gymnastics outfit. how cute is he?