Repost: Cool Hunting

Every other week my blog will feature a reposted work. I had been a contributor on two different sites that have since closed or no longer include blogs. I will be reposting pieces that had originally been featured on one of these two sites.  

This was originally posted May 14, 2011

Our son just finished his first week of preschool.  Candice and I have reflected with each other on the different perspective on the world found in preschool.  Almost everyone tries to be cool.  Interestingly, in preschool, ‘cool’ is found in ways that are odd for most other contexts.

Part of the reason Isaiah is in preschool is to help him catch up in speech.  During the assessment the teachers and speech therapist stated that a lisp is “cute”.  Of course it isn’t cute or cool to have a lisp by the time you hit middle school, but in preschool it’s pretty sweet.

The first day he met his classmates Isaiah hit it off with one girl in particular.  She’s three years old (just like him) and she gave him a hug when he was leaving.  She’s also somewhat overweight.  In our culture excess weight is looked down on and fitness is idolized, but not in preschool.  This girl is the cutest thing ever… and I think she knows it.

It is generally accepted that parents aren’t cool.  Usually parents are embarrassing.  My preschooler is dang cool, and he’s had both his parents walk him into school his entire first week.  His parents have helped him in the bathroom, helped him wash his hands, and taken pictures of him.  They even make him give them kisses before they leave.  In preschool, parents are cool.

Isaiah will start riding the bus to school next week.  I rode the bus in high school and I know I wasn’t cool (I’m still not cool, but that’s another issue).  Taking the bus to high school isn’t cool.  Taking the bus to preschool is so cool.

So, what is ‘cool’ as dictated by your current context?

What do you try to do to be cool?

How many years until you’ll find yourself doing the exact opposite thing for the same reasons?

…and don’t we all just care about ‘cool’ a little too much?

I know I do.

Maybe this is something to ponder.

I know I should….