When Is it Cute?

Have you ever noticed the reaction of women to the arrival of an infant or young child? All activity stops, all female heads are turned, and inevitably the voices produce the sound of “oohs and ahhs”. That child then becomes the center of attention, with compliments flowing over the appearance and behavior of the youngster, and smiles become the only response to any facial expressions that are made by this "cute" child.

The amazing thing to me here is the positive reaction that occurs regardless of the behavior exhibited. A burp is cause for amusement, drool rolling down the chin a cause for sympathy, and the smell of baby excrement is dealt with simply as a cry for assistance. Even when such behavior involves crying, screaming, or tantrums; it is met with kindness, understanding, and an undeniable urge to find a remedy for whatever is the cause of the child’s dismay.

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that well of sympathy and understanding tend to disappear as the child becomes a man? Imagine if you will, the reaction in a public place (any bar, restaurant, or airport for example) to an adult male as he sits amidst a group of women; smelling like an outhouse, drool rolling down his chin, belching to beat the band.

Without claiming to be an expert in the behavior of the female of the species (anyone who makes such a claim of expertise is probably trying to sell a book), I feel fairly safe in saying that they would not be smiling and racing to his assistance. I likewise suspect that the comments made by the fairer gender would not involve cooing, but would instead be sounds of dismay and disgust. Rather than halting their current activities to get a closer look and attempt to be of some assistance, I venture to say that all would be trying to get as far as possible from this miscreant as quickly as they could.

Don’t get me wrong here. I neither find fault in such a reaction, nor am I planning to exhibit such behavior now or in the future. My parents performed all of the tutoring required to guide me through the maturation process successfully (at least they thought so). I consider myself mostly self-sufficient, and am normally capable to behaving properly. (Well, most of the time anyway, and I deny any stories to the contrary that do not have documentary proof attached). On occasion, I have even been found to have enough of the social graces to be able to function in public situations.

I like many men however, would like to understand the rules of this game. I would like to know how such a prejudice on behavior, based simply on age, is acceptable to women. I would like to understand, if someone can explain it to me, when this child-like behavior becomes childish. I would like to know when the continuation of youthful exuberance becomes simply a failure to grow up. I would like to understand if at all possible, when such behavior becomes no longer cute and becomes instead a Scarlet Letter of immaturity.

Perhaps one of my female readers (I know that there are a couple of you out there) would care to explain this. Perhaps using small words and simple definitions, you can convey some level of understanding to us, the unwashed male gender. Perhaps you will share some your boundless understanding in the hopes that more of us might find a way to return to a point when all of our now unacceptable behavior should once again become cute.  

(By the way, for those of you out there wondering, the picture above is of me with my little ooh and ahh attractor, my youngest granddaughter Maggie.)