age

I wonder what 'old' looks like to kids. I remember as a kid thinking that my grandparents were old, and thinking back now, I realize they were probably only in their 50's. Now, it's not so much that they were elderly (obviously I realize now!), and I even remember being completely amazed one evening when my Grandmom jumped rope with us because I would have been sure she was much too 'old' to jump! It was just that, well, they were grandparents, so they had to be old, right?!? I also don't really remember thinking my parents were old, but I do remember thinking that their childhoods must have been ions back. I mostly only remember the 80's (though, I would have been a young child in the mid/late seventies), but the 50's and 60's of my parents childhoods seemed like it might as well have been the Middle Ages! I was fascinated with their styles and listening to 'oldies'. I still stand by the theory that SO much changed in those few decades between them and myself that was really altering to American family life that it was a bigger jump than my childhood to my kids', (i.e. - my parents barely had TV, certainly no video games or computers or cordless phones). But I could be just convincing myself of this to make myself feel better. ;) Funny, my kids are equally amused by the styles and music and TV shows of the 80's and 90's - though, I'm still pretty sure they don't feel AS disconnected from my generation as I did from my parents. Again...am I just deceiving myself on this?

Anyway, I've been thinking about all this because of the many comments Luke has been making recently about age. He's said things like "My teacher isn't really old, but ALMOST old. She's older than Mom...". On Saturday he had asked to brush my hair. When he got to the front he said "Wow! I hit the jackpot of gray hair!! That means your getting old.". (There's a clue it's time to call the hairdresser!) Yesterday after school he asked if Mrs. Reisner (his teacher) was also my kindergarten teacher. I said "Nooo. When I was in kindergarten, Mrs. Reisner was probably just a kid herself." He assured me that no, she was MUCH older than me. (All this makes me feel good, but I sure am hoping he's not having these conversations with Mrs. Reisner!!)

Isn't it funny how much of 'age' is really 'perception'? :)