Machine daddy is a tyrant

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Masha, a girl from a large family, is studying in the 4th grade. She is the eldest of four children; she also has a brother and two sisters. The girl does not participate in any extracurricular activities. For example, when the elementary grades went by buses on an excursion to the forest park, Masha did not go with us. I asked her friends why Masha was not there, and the girls began vying to twitter that Masha had a very strict dad, he would not let her go anywhere.

“My mother asked Masha to be allowed to visit me for her birthday, but her father didn’t allow her,” said Anya. "And they didn't let her in on my birthday!" - picked up Vika. - My mother says that they have Masha like Cinderella. She does her homework, but she is not allowed to walk."

I was surprised and decided to find out what was going on in the Machine family. I just got this class - their teacher went on maternity leave, and I didn't know all the parents yet. I didn't want to go straight home to Masha with a check, and I decided to first ask Anya and Vika's mothers.

"Strict? He's just a tyrant! - said Ani's mother. - My daughter came to visit Masha, we live on the same street, we have a house nearby, so he sent her back. Says: go and tell your mom to dress you. You can't go naked. Can you imagine? Anya was in a T-shirt and shorts. Can't a nine-year-old child walk like that in the summer heat?"

“Masha’s dad is a despot,” Vicki’s mom sighed. - I feel sorry for the girl. If he is now such a tyrant, then what will happen when Masha becomes a girl? Will he wear a burqa on her?"

I decided to watch Masha. A girl of good looks - tall, slender, lovely face with a slight blush (in a big city you don't often see a ruddy child!). An excellent student, she is engaged in a folk dance team and in a drawing circle at the school. This already contradicts the words that she was loaded with homework, like Cinderella. And she is dressed, like all girls, in a school uniform: a plaid pleated skirt, a blouse and a vest or jacket. Stop, stop, but Masha's skirt has a secret! The folds are sewn below the hips. Such a skirt will not accidentally pull up, and if the wind blows, it will not rise above your head. Oh yes dad! I was surprised and involuntarily smiled. Another week of observations, during which I noted the permanent hairstyle - the braid is braided classically, as in my mother's childhood, and the absence of hairpins and baubles loved by other girls, and even an always quiet voice, as if Masha was trying to maintain silence, and not only in class, but also at recess, when other children yelled, squealed and screamed as if cut.

I wanted to see Mama's car. Just then the next event arrived, to which Masha, of course, was not allowed. It was an exhibition of handicrafts "Golden Autumn" for students in grades 3 and 4, after which they organized a disco. Smart children danced, pulled juice from bags and had fun. Teachers and several people from the parent committee watched the children. “So what is dangerous for Masha? - I thought. - They deprive the girl of simple joys. Look how her girlfriends are beaten out. Maybe dad is really a tyrant at home? " On Monday, I wrote in the Mashin diary asking my mother to come to school.

Who do you think came to school? Of course, Mashin's dad is a tyrant and a despot. A man well over forty. Teaches at a technical university, associate professor. Tall, bald, military bearing, gray eyes, gaze. I involuntarily pulled my blouse and straightened. He explained that his wife, a mother of four small children, is not able to go to school. What happened?

He looked quite adequate, and I decided not to bow down, but asked him head-on why Masha does not attend extracurricular activities, why she is not allowed to attend her friends' birthdays. He smiled sarcastically and said that he was categorically against school discos, excursions to the forest park area and "walking in huts." In our time, these are situations that are potentially dangerous for the child. His daughter attends two circles, this is quite enough for harmonious development. Yes, Masha is forbidden to visit other girls. After all, he cannot be sure that she will be safe there. However, he does not mind the girls coming to their house and playing with Masha under the supervision of his wife. And they always invite her girlfriends to Masha's birthday.

- Why, then, did you literally kick out Anechka Efremova? Did you not like that she was wearing shorts? All girls wear shorts in the summer.

“Listen,” he smiled unpleasantly again, “I’m against letting the girl out of the house in such short pants that the halves of her buttocks stick out from them. And a T-shirt with such armholes that one can see the belly through them. And I did not kick Anya out, as her mother says, but led her by the hand to the gate of her house. As a teacher, do you think that I did the wrong thing?

I was silent, thinking what to answer him. In principle, I was in solidarity with him. Modern mothers sometimes bare their daughters so much that it becomes scary for them.

“Masha also has shorts, if that’s so important to you,” he continued mockingly. - But these are shorts, not swimming trunks. And in the summer she wears a sleeveless jacket in which you can raise your arms without showing your navel.

- Did you sew the folds on the school skirt to her? - I could not resist.

- Not me, of course, mom.

- But did you tell your mother?

He laughed, good-naturedly this time.

- My wife and I have the same views on raising daughters.

- And what does Masha do around the house? What are her responsibilities? Do you know that girls call her Cinderella?

- Masha cleans the room where she lives with her sisters, and washes the dishes after dinner. Well, he helps mom when she asks. Watering flowers in the yard. In my opinion, Cinderella is not drawn.

- Agree. But don't you think that excessive severity, prohibitions to attend a school disco can backfire in adolescence?

- Why should Masha get used to these discos? Did you know that in high school this is the place where drugs are sold to teenagers? She already dances three times a week in a folk dance circle. It is much more useful for a girl - correct posture and grace are formed. And at discos, they huddle in one place, like demoniacs. The music thunders, the ears are lagging. What are the benefits for children?

- But…

- Listen, I want to bring up in my daughters two main qualities that every woman needs - modesty and hard work. And if the school doesn't help me in this, then at least don't bother me.

At this point, the conversation dried up. He left, once again delighting me with his height and bearing, and left a mixed feeling in my soul. On the one hand, I wanted Masha to have fun at school matinees and discos, to go on excursions with the class. But, on the other hand, Masha's dad is right in many ways. What a pity that he doesn't even try to find a middle ground! But after talking with him, I had a topic for conversation with the girls' mothers.

I’ll invite them to a bachelorette party! Let's get to know each other right away.

Meeting for moms

A week before the meeting, I handed out two question sheets to the students for their mothers:

1. What is “girlish modesty” in your understanding?

2. Do you want your daughter to be humble?

And here is the meeting. The mothers of the fourth-graders gave me the filled-in sheets of paper and took their places at the desks. Probably, the bacillus of Puritanism was passed on to me from Machine's dad, because I looked disapprovingly at two mothers who literally dumped their charms on the desk. Why is a blouse neckline? Honestly, in this perspective, a half-naked female breast becomes like a *** tsu. Then I noticed many war paint - too bright flashy makeup, ridiculous huge hairpins in their hair, shiny outfits (do they go to work like that?). The eye rested on three or four women, dressed simply and tastefully, with normal hairstyles. I tried to guess where Masha's mom is. Other mothers were sitting at the girls' desk, I knew them. Probably this pale woman without makeup. She's about forty. Tired face - still, four children!

But I didn't guess. Masha's mother was young, no more than 30 years old, in blue frayed jeans and a black jumper, blond hair pulled back in a long ponytail. One of those on whom my critical gaze rested. Oh yes, Mashin's dad! I chose such a beauty! And four children - this is probably his guarantee to keep his young wife at home. So, after all, a despot?..

I started to lead the meeting. At first, she reminded mothers that their daughters are at such an age when babies turn into big girls. It is necessary to carefully monitor their appearance and behavior. For example, some of the girls in the class have grown out of their skirts and look immodest. And when the knapsack lifts up an already short skirt, even the seams on the tights are visible. I would also like the girls to behave more modestly in class and, with their dignified behavior, set an example for the boys, and not provoke them to rudeness.

In my address, I emphasized that we are not now talking about inner modesty (not to emphasize our “I”, not to ascribe to ourselves the merits of others, to be able, if necessary, to retreat into the background, to show tact, not to make remarks to adults, not to argue with them). These are purely external signs. Of course, even rudeness can be hidden behind a modest shell. And they cannot all be shy and quiet. Yes, it is not necessary. An adorable type - a girl-imp, etc. The main thing is that the behavior does not go beyond the bounds of decency. Without naming names, I noted the bad behavior of some girls in the class (calling names, using rude language; pushing). Along the way, she said that in every girl you need to develop femininity (posture, gait). A good method for this is gymnastics, dancing.

Then I read out the mothers' answers aloud (without naming the names), we discussed some of them (we could not do without shouting and arguing). Many mothers formally approached and answered with literally two words. But several people expressed their opinions in detail, which made me very happy. Here are some excerpts from the most interesting answers.

Mom's answers to questions

Alyona's mom

As a child, I was a very modest girl. My mother worked as a teacher at our school, and she was very afraid that colleagues would not reproach her for the poor upbringing of her daughter. Therefore, in the classroom, I had to diligently look into the teacher's mouth, at breaks, walk along the line, at school events, recite poems about nature, while other girls sang funny songs or jumped around the stage in short skirts. How I envied them, these, in my mother's opinion, "twinkling"! When I became an adult, I was embarrassed for a long time to express my opinion, to participate in a general conversation. Therefore, I bring up my daughter differently. She sings and dances with me, she is never shy, and I have been taking her to beauty contests since she was 6 years old. I don’t want her to grow up as a smart, shy girl. Let it be bright, let it laugh loudly, let it lift its legs in the dance! In my understanding, modesty is not a bowed head submissively and eternal silence. Therefore, let my daughter look better immodest than downtrodden, as I was in childhood. And I'll tell her about girlish pride and honor in a couple of years.

Yulia's mom

Girlish modesty is a trick foolish men fall for. The girl is all so quiet, modest, but she gets married and walks right and left. Still waters run deep. I don’t like shy women, I don’t believe them. I don't scold my daughter for loud laughter or lip gloss.

Alexandra's mom

I don't like the behavior of the three girls in the class (everyone knows who they are). They are very noisy, ill-mannered, immodest. I often watch them when we leave school: they shout at the whole street, laugh loudly (one might say - laugh like horses). I try to take Sasha by the hand and take him away, so as not to even walk next to this company. My daughter is modest (she knows how to behave in public).

Karina's mom

Karina is still little, behaves like a child. I don’t think it is immodest, so we have no problem with that. But to the eldest daughter (she is 16), I explain that in our time, in order to stand out and be liked, a girl should be modest. The immodest ones are already tired of them. I'll tell you about one observation. Last summer we were on a seaside vacation in Europe. On the beach, most of the girls and women sunbathed topless. Only some men looked at their charms - and more often with a grin, and not with lust (used to it!). And suddenly I accidentally noticed that all the men from the company next to us were looking attentively in one direction. I followed the direction and saw a girl trying to remove the wet top from a swimsuit and put on a T-shirt without showing her breasts. With one hand, she held a towel against her chest, with the other she pulled off her bra, then took the T-shirt and pulled it on with one hand. The peasants who were staring at her got their eyes so hot! On the beach, one shy girl attracted more male attention than all the half-naked girls! This scene made an indelible impression on me.

Vicky's mom

For example, our dad hates being quiet. He likes lively women. And there is even such a saying: "A girl is adorned with modesty if there are no other virtues." And in general, in our time, being modest is stupid - you simply will not be noticed.

Christina's mom

Dear teacher! Do not try to make an institution of noble maidens out of an ordinary school. Give knowledge, and we will figure it out ourselves with the behavior of our daughter.

Ani's mom

The main thing for me is that my daughter trusts me. If I constantly pound her so that she behaves quietly and modestly, my child will turn into a wooden doll. Who needs it? I don’t want to bother while she’s still a toddler. I think the question of girlish modesty will only become relevant in a couple of years.

Stasi's mom

I want my daughter to be cunning, and I teach her how to do it. A sly girl is always on her mind, she is safer than open. Modesty is also a trick. Therefore, I often tell Stasa to be more modest, not to run up (only my daughter does not always obey, she is fighting with me!).

Sonya's mom

Earlier I demanded from my daughter that she behave modestly - not to fight, not to call names. Only here are the other girls in the class - so arrogant that they can crush the modest one. Therefore, now I am teaching her to defend herself - to snap back and speak barbs. Even if it is immodest.

Masha's mom

We try to educate Masha so that her behavior does not lead to trouble for herself. Girlish modesty in my understanding is, first of all, good manners. I really want my three girls to be shy. This is a great joy and pride for parents.

Meeting results

Having once again stipulated that the topic of the meeting is only the behavior of girls, and not their inner world, my mothers and I together formulated seven external signs of immodest behavior of a schoolgirl. In our general opinion, a humble girl should not:

1) when laughing, opening your mouth wide and gagging is vulgar;

2) sitting on a chair, push your knees apart, like boys;

3) wear clothes that flaunt a child's body or in which a little girl looks sexy;

4) be unkempt;

5) it is impolite and too loud to talk, to use foul language, to fight;

6) be rude to elders, argue with them;

7) gossip and gossip about other children.

In general, the mothers were satisfied: in the opinion of the majority, it was a useful meeting. And I remembered the old saying: "Daughter's modesty is the father's wealth" and mentally said thank you to Machine's strict dad. I liked his daughter more and more. Among many, frankly speaking, not for age overdressed and cheeky fourth-graders, she looked like a charming young lady of the times of Pushkin. Neatly braided braid, clear eyes, good posture, correct quiet speech, freshness, neatness. The girl's natural, discreet beauty was in harmony with her good manners and politeness. The charm of modesty - that's exactly what I wanted to say about Masha. And I wanted to sincerely thank the parents for raising their daughter. Despite the fact that the question of Masha's participation in extracurricular activities remained open for me.