The "Cool" Kid

Last night as I was driving kids (my full time occupation), the conversation from the back-seat drivers focused on their upcoming year at school.  My youngest son and his bf will be entering grade 8 - the ultimate top of the food chain.  Their combined responses were that while they will enjoy the "elite" status next year, it will be immediately deflated to less than zero when they enter grade 9 (or to translate, Freshmen).  The probability of getting a "wedgey" and the ever popular "hit a Freshman day" was discussed with combined fear and amusement.

My advice to the pair was not to wear "tighty whities" a definite bad choice for the possibility of having your gitch up in your ass-crack, and that they should "hang" more with the bigger brother entering grade 9 this coming year,  (who is Mr. Popular and Autistic).  The response was a resounding yes!

Peers at their current school ask my youngest, Owen, if he is Aidan Allen's brother (my middle son on the Spectrum) - his brother is an asset, not a liability.  Owen's bf (still in the back seat) chimed in that everyone loves Aidan and my plan that they stay close to Aidan in high school was a "boss" plan.

The shift is happening in our society and our upcoming leaders, movers and shakers are not the discriminatory assholes as in my (somewhat) recent high school past.  They pause to understand, to support, to advocate - so different from my experiences.  I am not naive, and know that this situation is not universal.  But there is hope that collectively as humans we will be as welcoming and accepting as the two kids in my back seat.

Owen and his "cool" brother