In honor of my middle daughter’s 17th birthday and #TBT, I am posting a blog from a few years ago.  Her view of the world amazes me and makes me laugh on a daily basis. Happy Birthday Syd!

My middle daughter, Sydney, is a spark plug.  She has a huge personality and enough energy for five people.  She is passionate about everything she does and for the most part, fearless.

She is also very bright.

On her 14^th birthday we were celebrating with gifts, pizza and laughter.  A story came to light about Sydney skiing with a certain boy on her team; alone.  Jokes were made, the story was partially refuted and then her older sister, Alex, wanted to know how she does it.  She demanded to know how Sydney seemed to always have a boy chasing her when she is unable to get a boy to even look at her! Sydney looked at her and very seriously said, “you gotta dumb it down a little, Alex”.

Alex was indignant and said she wouldn’t dumb it down for anyone.  Amen, sister!

Over the past week we have had a lot of laughs about this conversation, but I was curious what Sydney was really thinking when she said, “you gotta dumb it down.”  Did she really think that boys like dumb girls or does she think all boys are dumb?

It turns out that she doesn’t believe either of these things.  She said she knows she is smart and she believes people believe that of her as well.  In all her 14-year-old wisdom she said, “boys just like you to be silly with them.  They don’t like it when we act like they are disgusting or immature.  They don’t want to participate in girl drama and they definitely don’t like it when we are mysterious.  They have a hard enough time figuring us out.  They just want us to be real and accept them for who they are.  So, when I say that I “dumb it down” I mean I am just having fun and being one of the guys.”

So, it turns out that I don’t have to be worried about Sydney playing dumb.  She has it under control.  My only advice to Sydney is this:  Don’t dumb it down too much, baby, because as the title of Judge Judy Sheindlin’s book says, “Beauty Fades, Dumb is Forever.”

*I received that book from my in-laws for my 30^th birthday, but that’s another blog!

Sunshine & Sarcasm,

Lowi & G