Little Girls and Power Tools

My best friends from high school, Melissa, is at home this weekend. Unfortunately, due to finals being next week, I really can't go home for the weekend. I just know that I'd never get any studying done. But I did make a little time this afternoon to meet up with her at the mall and do some Christmas shopping. It was fun, I got the perfect gift for my little sister, meaning, that aside from Lea, and my dog, I'm finished! Also, at the mall, thetheme for the Santa picture place was "Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer". I saw the adorable abominable snowman, and took a picture with my phone. Yes I know, I'm still like a little kiddie in that respect. It was nice though. It was also nice being around someone who I've known as long as her, who actually understands the way my head works, and gets my sense of humor.

We wound up at Toys'r'us to find something for her 5 year old nephew. She got him two little plastic tool sets, that are being marketed by the Home Depot. These play tools are freaking awesome, especially the nail gun. Melissa and I were having a blast playing with them. There were at least 15 different sets you could get, from the basic tool box with starter tools, to more advanced things like cirrcular saws, drills, and vice grips. That's when I noticed it: the boxes these tool kits came in had several pictures on them of kids having fun, playing with the tools; however, not one of those pictures on any of the boxes showed a little girl, it was all boys.

I would have loved playing with those toys when I was a little girl. I loved that sort of stuff. I had a toy truck too. My favorite toys were Legos. In fact, as a little person I really loved going to the shop with my dad and helping him service his truck. That love died as I got older, but as a little one, I adored it. I remember how my dad used to have me pick all the stones out of the tread of his tires, just to get me out of his hair for a little. I wish Iwould have kept going over to help him as I got older, I'd know a lot more about mechanical work and all.

I'd even be so bold as to say that it's the little girls that people should be buying toy tool sets for. This is a skill we ought to teach these girls. Tools aren't just for men. Women can have mechanical/carpentry skills too. A lot of girls these day have taken woodshop classes (and have done well), know how to change a tire, know how to change their own oil (I even know a few guys who can't do that!), and understand the basics of physics and how a car runs. Unfortunately we send them these sublinial messages that these are the boys domain and a girl has no business touching a hammer or looking under the hood of a car. It's as bad as when my computer applications teach in middle school told me that I was a not normal girl because my favorite subject in school was science. What the heck was that supposed to mean? Am I abnormal because I enjoy biology? Sheesh... you hear so much about how the feminists are going too far, and that women are already equal, but really, we aren't. Our sex has come so far, but we still have a long way to go before we are truely equal.

If I ever have a daughter, she's getting a tool set, as soon as I think she's capable of understanding how to use them. She's also learning to service her own car when she get's one.

All together though, it's been a very very good day for me.