"Are you really a girl, Papa?"

[Ms Bev]

I took my grandson, 7 yrs old, on his first 'long distance' bicycle ride yesterday.  A pleasant ride, on a paved bike path, through woodlots, fields, and ending at a large body of water.  A long ride for him, 4 miles round trip, considering he learned to ride his bike only this week.

Anyway, he rode to the water's edge, excitedly, with me following up the rear, when a 3 yr old girl asked her dad, "Is she going to ride in the water?"
My grandson turned, and asked me, "what did she say?"  I said, "she wanted to know if I was going to ride into the water".
Apparently, he missed the pronoun the little girl used for me, but it was time to talk to my daughter about the possibility of being outed to my grandson sooner or later.  Marcy and I wondered if it was time to explain things to the 3 grandchildren, and asked our daughter about it, and pointed out the instance that brought it to the forefront.  We then left for the day.

When we returned, our 2 grandsons, one 5, one 7 ran out into the dark driveway to meet us, and see if we had things to carry in.  The first immediate business at hand was, me.  I was very surprised that my transsexuality had been explained to them both, while we were out (they all live with us).  "When are you going to be a girl?  Are you a girl now, Papa?".  They both ran up to us, and I stooped down to the 5 yr old.  "Yes, I'm really a girl.  I've been a girl for a long time, since before you were born".  He gave me a hug, and I squeezed him tight.  "Are you going to stay a girl, Papa?    Are you going to be a boy again?"  "No", I said, "I'm going to be a girl forever."  "Do you still like tools?"  "Certainly!" I said.  "Oh, okay!"  he said.  I could see the excitement, and acceptance, even in the dark.

I asked the older boy, 7, my bicycle partner, "Did your mommie talk to you?"  "Yes...."   "Did she tell you I was really a girl?".  "Yeah".  Marcy said, "you've seen Papa wear some girl clothes, and growing his hair?".
"Yeah....."  "And you understand?"  "Yeah...."  He grabbed some grocery bags form the trunk of the car, took them into the kitchen.  "And everytings okay?", we both asked.  "Yeah.....cool.  Hey!  Papa.....did you see my new spaceship I built?".  I admired the snapped together legos sapceship, and told him how great it was.  Then I quietly admired him.

Next morning:
"Hey Papa.....are you still a girl?" (the 5 yr old).
"Of course I am!  Come give me a hug good morning!"  I got a good hug, and a lip smacker kiss on the cheek.



I am soooo happy they were taught by us before they were exposed to the adult world's ignorance, fear, and hatred.

Bev
Ms Papa! 

[Suzy]

Bev, that's one of the most wonderful stories I've ever heard.  It shows that there's hope in this world.

Kristi

[tinkerbell]

  "When are you going to be a girl?  Are you a girl now, Papa?".  They both ran up to us, and I stooped down to the 5 yr old.  "Yes, I'm really a girl.  I've been a girl for a long time, since before you were born".  He gave me a hug, and I squeezed him tight.  "Are you going to stay a girl, Papa?    Are you going to be a boy again?"  "No", I said, "I'm going to be a girl forever."  "Do you still like tools?"  "Certainly!" I said.  "Oh, okay!"  he said.  I could see the excitement, and acceptance, even in the dark.

I asked the older boy, 7, my bicycle partner, "Did your mommie talk to you?"  "Yes...."   "Did she tell you I was really a girl?".  "Yeah".  Marcy said, "you've seen Papa wear some girl clothes, and growing his hair?".
"Yeah....."  "And you understand?"  "Yeah...."  He grabbed some grocery bags form the trunk of the car, took them into the kitchen.  "And everytings okay?", we both asked.  "Yeah.....cool.  Hey!  Papa.....did you see my new spaceship I built?".  I admired the snapped together legos sapceship, and told him how great it was.  Then I quietly admired him.

Next morning:
"Hey Papa.....are you still a girl?" (the 5 yr old).
"Of course I am!  Come give me a hug good morning!"  I got a good hug, and a lip smacker kiss on the cheek.


Bev
Ms Papa! 

  What a beautiful story Beverly!  Children can be so understanding unlike so many of the "grown-ups" we know.  Congratulations.



tink

[Ms Bev]

Kristi....yes, there is hope in this world after all.

Tink...yes, the untainted are understanding, thank God

Bev

[Sheila]

Bev,
  children, aren't they marvalous. I have a grandson and he asked me why I wanted to be a girl. I just told him in simple terms and we were both walking to his kindergarten class. Never said a word about this until he asked me if he could call me grandma sheila? Wonderful story Bev, just made me think about some of my levels of transition.
Sheila

[gothique11]

Awww, that's a beautiful story, thnx for sharing that!