Do you ever wonder how things like cat’s cradle get passed from one place to another, one generation to another? I never knew that it was more than just an American thing! (Typical US-centric attitude….)
I’ve never thought much about it. I remember doing it at schoo in NZ, and my mum saying she’d done the same, but she went to school in Scotland, so I guess without thinking I assumed migrants took games with them in the same way they took music and recipes and language.
I do wonder if, in these internet-driven days, kids still play such games.
Great. I wonder (if it’s still around) whether it’s one of the gendered things (like marbles seems to be for boys here). I remember being really surprised when I took my toddler son to a play-group, how quickly children seemed to start playing differently along gender lines. The boys seemed to drive it — girls were happy to play with any of the toys, but boys seemed to monopolise some, and ignore others. I don’t know if you have noticed that too, or whether my “sample” was too limited (and contained some particularly alpha-male four year olds!)
Yes, it still seems to be true, though my grandsons seem to know that there is no such thing as a girl’s toy or a boy’s toy. On the other hand, when I made my grandson’s bed with one of my daughter’s girly sheets, he refused to sleep in the bed!
Probably not. I think it has always been more acceptable for a girl to want “boy” things—sports, blocks, cars, monsters, etc.—than vice versa. There is stigma for a boy to be seen as girlish because there is a societal bias that sees girls as inferior. For a girl to want boyish things may seem odd but it acceptable since being a boy has more status. Even in 2019, I fear.
I could never make a cat’s cradle, but my daughter could! I wonder if she has taught her daughters? Always seems to be a girl thing. And my rosemary hardly ever has flowers even though it seems very healthy.
It would be interesting to know. My perception is that it was definitely a girl-thing, but I will ask my brothers if they remember Mum showing them.
My rosemary seems to be all flowers at the moment — happy bees!
Zimmerbitch 
Lavender and rosemary are so similar in nature, lovely photo Su.
Leslie
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They are.
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🙂
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Do you ever wonder how things like cat’s cradle get passed from one place to another, one generation to another? I never knew that it was more than just an American thing! (Typical US-centric attitude….)
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I’ve never thought much about it. I remember doing it at schoo in NZ, and my mum saying she’d done the same, but she went to school in Scotland, so I guess without thinking I assumed migrants took games with them in the same way they took music and recipes and language.
I do wonder if, in these internet-driven days, kids still play such games.
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I will ask my grandson. He’s almost nine, so if it’s still out there, I am sure he would have seen it by now. If not, I will teach him!
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Great. I wonder (if it’s still around) whether it’s one of the gendered things (like marbles seems to be for boys here). I remember being really surprised when I took my toddler son to a play-group, how quickly children seemed to start playing differently along gender lines. The boys seemed to drive it — girls were happy to play with any of the toys, but boys seemed to monopolise some, and ignore others. I don’t know if you have noticed that too, or whether my “sample” was too limited (and contained some particularly alpha-male four year olds!)
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Yes, it still seems to be true, though my grandsons seem to know that there is no such thing as a girl’s toy or a boy’s toy. On the other hand, when I made my grandson’s bed with one of my daughter’s girly sheets, he refused to sleep in the bed!
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Funny; but a bit sad too. I wonder if a granddaughter would have felt the same way if it had been the other way around.
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Probably not. I think it has always been more acceptable for a girl to want “boy” things—sports, blocks, cars, monsters, etc.—than vice versa. There is stigma for a boy to be seen as girlish because there is a societal bias that sees girls as inferior. For a girl to want boyish things may seem odd but it acceptable since being a boy has more status. Even in 2019, I fear.
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That’s what I was thinking too, sadly.
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I could never make a cat’s cradle, but my daughter could! I wonder if she has taught her daughters? Always seems to be a girl thing. And my rosemary hardly ever has flowers even though it seems very healthy.
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It would be interesting to know. My perception is that it was definitely a girl-thing, but I will ask my brothers if they remember Mum showing them.
My rosemary seems to be all flowers at the moment — happy bees!
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Woww thank you for this peek into this world!
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Thank you. I’m glad you like it.
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Sweet…. love that ‚naming‘ 🙂 brilliant
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Thanks so much 🙂
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Excellent! Love the title too!
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Thanks 🙂
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Lovely shots and I love that you called it cat’s cradle. Well done all around. 🙂
janet
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Thank you Janet. It’s funny how I hadn’t thought about a cat’s cradle for years until I saw the photos on my screen.
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