Friendship books and insights

I remember autograph books coming into my life when I was in middle school, class 8 or 9. It was a great way to measure one's popularity - yes, similar to the likes and endorsements on Facebook today. It was great when someone you were too much in awe to ask to write in it, just came up to you and casually filled it in, just like that.

What was fun was to compare notes later in your small group of friends and make assumptions on intent, reading between the lines. I make these statements coming from a small-time town upbringing where open interactions between boys and girls even in the same class would hint at secret liaisons and crushes, what not *rolling my eyes*.  Just anything, to get the school grapevine buzzing.

Friendship Books

In Big G's first year at  big school (i.e primary school), the kids started exchanging these  vrienden boekjes (Friendship Books). Most had popular girl band, K3 on their cover. Ben 10, Thomas the Engine, Galaxy Park and some Samson & Gert (another Dutch series). It was fun to see Big G laboriously filling them up in her uneven handwriting and mis spelt words, which she was not ready to correct. There are some basic questions to fill in: personal details, the email address is always mine of course. They fill in their favourites - song, TV show, sport, food, clothes,  what you absolutely don't like to eat, what you can't stand, what you want to be when you grow up...

The first page is normally filled by the class teacher. I enjoy reading what the other kids have filled - brussels-sprouts and witloof (chicory) and spinach are food which most children can't stand.  K3 seems to be most popular band amongst all the girls universally in Belgium! Big G would earlier  fill in 'teacher' in answer to what she wants to become later. This year, she fills in baker, inspired as she is to open a bakery as a result of spending many i-pad hours of watching cake-decorating videos. Some children of course just want to become grown-up later!! Teacher and doctor were most popular professional choices, amongst the primary schoolers. A few kids did opt to be model, artist, footballer, tennis champion!

All this is fine, until I received a vrienden boek for lil G - for whom they don't even teach writing in class! Just how do you do this one? Of course, big sister was enlisted to help her out. They did fill it up, two heads bent down over the book, deep in discussion, the older one gently nudging the other in firming up her choices. I, of course, wanted to check on the spelling amongst other things, which were unmistakably atrocious but cute nevertheless. We must focus on dictation majorly.

Interesting to note that lil G has opted to be a doctor and a swimming instructor both! Something like a second income approach:) A few people can't stand spiders and naughty kids, quite sensible I think. As of now, lil G says she absolutely can't stand boys!! Well, well, is all I can say! Wonder how much of  this will stand the test of time:)

First posted at IndianMomsConnect here