(B)I    had every intention to raise ___16___, nonviolent sons whose aggressive tendencies would be softened bya sensitivity and compassion that psychologists claim were denied their father’s generation. I did not buyguns or war toys. My boys even had a second-hand baby doll until the garage sale last summer. I toldthem time and time again that it was okay to cry and be scared sometimes. 

    It’s a little early to assess the results of our efforts, but when my seven-year-old son, comes homesinging “Farrah, Fawcett, Farrah Fawcett, I love you” and five minutes later asks Drew, his five-year-oldbrother, if he’d like his nose to be a blood fountain, either we’re backsliding or there’s more to this sex-rolelearning than the home environment can handle. 

    Feminist educators don’t help much in my efforts to liberate my sons. I believe we are kiddingourselves if we think we can raise our sons and daughters alike. Certain inborn traits seem to be immune toparental and cultural ___17___. How can I explain why a little girl baby sits on a quilt in the parkthoughtfully examining a blade of grass, while my baby William uproots grass by handfuls and eats it? I’msure there are plenty of ___18___, noisy little girls. However, I’m talking about some sort of ___19___physicalness that causes the walls of my house to pulsate on rainy days. I am talking about something___20___ that makes my sons fall into a mad, scrambling, pull-your-ears-off-kick-your- teeth-in heap justbefore bedtime, when they’re not even mad at each other. When Jack and Drew are not kicking a soccerball, they are kicking the chair legs, the cat, the baby’s silver rattle, and, unintentionally, Baby Williamhimself. This sort of constant motion just doesn’t lend itself to lessons in thoughtfulness and gentleness.