My dad faxed me an article from the local paper. Here’s an excerpt:
I believe the kids in our generation are growing up too fast and not enjoying what they have left of their carefree fun times. I know there’s the spirit of a 7-year-old in all of us, it’s just the question of when to put that spirit away, if there really is a right or wrong time to do it.
Obviously, this opening caught my eye. YES! There is a 7-year-old in all of as! YES! Kids DO grow up too fast! What high-ranking Adultitis-stricken grown-up has finally “matured” enough to see the value of embracing a childlike spirit and the havoc Adultitis wreaks in our young people? Not a grown-up at all, actually…the editorial was written by Katherine Toraason.
A sophomore in high school.
She goes on to write:
When’s the last time you saw a 16-year-old order a kiddie cocktail, go to the park and swing, or ride their bike just for the fun of it — without seeing a wandering eye or a tiny snicker from afar?
Indeed. Those things kids once liked to do are now apparently too childish for the children. Nope, kids couldn’t be bothered with such trivial pursuits these days; they need to be doing grown-up things right now. A USA Today article that highlights a growing phenomenon of little girls going to the spa for facials, manicures, and pedicures, notes that “little first-graders already are carrying lip gloss” and that many of these tweens “already know what a French manicure is. They know they want square nails, not round.”
Toraason is having none of this. In her view, kids are growing up way too fast. “Let me get this straight,” she says. “It’s OK for fifth graders to wear skirts that cover only half of their behind, but it’s a complete sin for me to do childish, outlandish things such as drink a kiddie cocktail in peace?”
It’s hard to argue with her. She is in the trenches, after all. And she is quite passionate about the kiddie cocktail:
You really can’t find a better flavor, and I’m not sure why it’s considered inappropriate to drink this tasteful beverage. I mean, you’ve got your Sprite, cherry flavoring, two cherries, a sword, all on the rocks. Why isn’t this drink the favorite of everyone around the world!
It’s because of the idiocy of the brilliant man who created this amazing drink. He had to put the six letter word kiddie in front of it, which is loaded with connotation.
Maybe he could have called it, “The pink, non-alcoholic beverage for everyone young and old to drink.”
But he didn’t, and now it’s an embarrassment to order if you’re not a kid.
I must say, it’s refreshing — as refreshing as a kiddie cocktail — to know there are some kids who are not hell bent on blindly following the Adultitis-paved path to adulthood. Says Toraason, “We need to enjoy what we have left of our childhood, make it never ending. I don’t think we should be worrying about how high our skirts are, or who are boyfriend is this week. We’ll have plenty of time to figure all that out later.”
Now I can drink to that.
[tags]kiddie cocktail, katherine toraason, spas, childlike, childish, Adultitis[/tags]
Where I come from, we call this beverage a “Shirley Temple” (though on the sword is a skewered orange slice along with anywhere from 1-3 cherries with stems long enough to attempt tying a knot in them with just your tongue).
Now, that name may also do too much to relegate this underappreciated drink to the kiddie ranks. But I’m proud to say that I partake of a Shirley Temple (or two) every Christmas eve when the kids in my family enjoy them at dinner. They’re as yummy at 41 as they were when I was 12!
Good for you, Kelly! Yes, I have seen this drink called a Shirley Temple before, and no, I don’t think even that name is good enough to encourage those Adultitis sufferers to take a swig.
I read this article by Katherine and really enjoyed it. I showed it to Maggie so she would know that she and her friends are not the only ones who still do this. They even get together and play hide-n-seek.
Hello! Love, that you used my article in this blog, SO cool. Anyways, your site looks awesome! Wow I can’t believe actual people outside of my small small town are going to get to read this!
-Katherine
Katherine,
It was my pleasure to feature your article. It was well-written and had some great and very wise insight.
Keep up the great work! (And may you always drink you kiddie cocktails proudly!)
Kiddie cocktails are the best, ever since i was 5 i ordered kiddie cocktails. And my family is the family who ALWAYS likes to dine out(at least 2-3 times a week) and i alwayss order a kiddie cocktail, they taste so GOOD!!!!!:)
bye
Maybe I’m just lucky, but living right next to a city park, I get to see the big kids come out and have fun when the little kids (and most other spectators) go home. They play this game called “Rocks, rocks!” which is very much like Marco Polo on land. The hiders are to stay on the play structure, and the blindfolded seeker calls out Rocks, rocks! instead of Fish out of water. To see the incredible gymnastics that 16-18yos can do to get past the seeker without touching the ground is truly awe-inspiring. My (little) kids are always asking my to play, and I don’t say yes often enough. Methinks it would be great fun after a picnic supper, complete with Shirley Temples!
Last summer I was involved in a local production of Godspell (I was the house manager, so I managed the ushers, helped with making sure the theater was clean, turned the house lights on and off, etc.). After several of the performances, we went to restaurants to celebrate with the cast and crew and anyone else who wanted to join us. One time we went to Red Robin. I was amused how the waiters could tell we were actors, since we were all acting childlike. :-) Anyway, several people ordered alcoholic beverages. I don’t drink alcohol, but I was jealous of the swords they got in their drinks. I ordered a sword. Then we had miniature swordfights. Wow, that was fun!!
Anyway, Katherine’s mention of a sword in the drink reminded me.
PS. I wish there were more teenagers like Katherine in this world! It’s kinda sad how so many kids want to grow up way too fast. It’s refreshing to see kids who want to stay kids.