Purple and Green Polka-Dot Tiger

Whatever you do, do not think of a purple and green polka-dot tiger.

You're thinking of a purple and green polka-dot tiger, aren't you?

My husband teased my son: "Whatever you do, do not think of this as a date."

Thing is, he was already thinking of the night as a date, despite his statements to the contrary.

It all started when my husband and I made plans to go out to dinner with another couple on Friday night. Ordinarily, I'd hire a sitter to stay with our children. But the girls had plans to stay overnight at a friend's house, and our son is almost 11, so it seemed silly to get a sitter just for him. Instead, we invited our friends' 11-year-old daughter, who is also friends with our son, to hang out together while the adults were out. Perfect plan!

So, earlier in the week, I asked my son to clean up "his" room of the basement. That's the area where he and his friends typically hang out because it's stocked with gaming systems, a TV, and Legos. No girlie things -- dolls, stuffed animals, etc -- allowed. I figured the two tweens would want to play video games, but the last time I poked my head in that room, Legos occupied every square inch of the floor, leaving no room for people. Knowing how this clean-up request typically goes, I started early in the week, realizing that it would take several days before he actually made any headway in the room.

Lo and behold, I walked past that room the next day, and found it immaculate! In fact, I'm not sure I've ever seen it that tidy. Hmm.

Then, Friday morning, we noticed our son was spending a longer time in his room than usual. Typically, he needs only a minute or two to change from his PJs into his uniform clothes. Turns out he was making his bed. He never makes his bed! When he joined us downstairs, we asked him why he decided to make his bed that morning. He said, "Well, Mom, you've been nagging me all summer to make my bed! So I was just doing what you've been telling me to do."

"But it's November!" I told him. I'd given up on the nagging for the school year. Interesting.

After he came home from school, while I was busy holding a Girl Scout meeting downstairs, he headed straight up to his room. "I'm just going to clean out my closet, Mom." What???

By now, of course, my husband and I had pretty much figured him out. The friend coming over tonight wasn't just any friend. It was a girl.
A girl. Friend.

He'd told me once that he had a crush on this Girl.Friend when he was in second or third grade, but he thought of her as "Just Friends" now.
Mmm hmm.

So after our friends had arrived with their daughter, and we'd said our good-byes to our two tweens, and we were riding to the restaurant, we adults reviewed the situation. We learned their daughter had changed her outfit before coming over for the evening. She doesn't typically change her outfit after school.

So, evidently, the two of them were kind of thinking of the night as a date. Now, what a "date" means to a 10- and 11-year-old is somewhat unclear. Maybe sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the sofa to play video games? Maybe touching hands? Maybe even a peck on the cheek?

Cute. Harmless. Age-appropriate.

But next time, perhaps we'll have them hang out at the other house. With the older, teenage, high schooler brother as chaperone. Just in case they decide they're more than "just friends."