Craig Daily Press

Christina M. Currie

Christina M. Currie's Touch of Spice column appears Fridays in the Craig Daily Press. E-mail her at director@craig-chamber.com

Craig — Love is in the air.

At least, for my 6-year-old and 7-year-old daughters, it is.

They do so many things that are amusing now, but in a few years will have my blood pressure rising as I pull out my hair.

Until then, I’m having a grand time teasing 7-year-old Katie about the status of her first crush, which I’m happy to report, really has no status.

And given her response when I ask, it never will.

First of all, I was shocked to hear that there were any boys in her class that don’t have cooties. Isn’t that supposed to last until middle school?

My eyes were opened to this anomaly when, after chaperoning a school field trip, Katie came home and told me that two of her classmates said I was “hot.”

Flattering, yes.

Also a little disturbing.

The next clue was when Katie started begging me to let her hair grow long.

“Why,” I asked. “Everyone tells you how much they like your hair.”

“But not boys,” she said sadly.

So, I wasn’t totally surprised to learn that Katie had a blooming crush on one of her classmates. I’m sworn to secrecy about his identity.

“Do you know his mom? You’d better not tell his mom!”

I’m taking advantage that she’s still at the age where she’s pretty open about her feelings. I know the day will come when no bribe will pry information from her.

I love the reasons she lists for liking him.

“He’s definitely cute. He finishes his work on time and he never gets a strike. Sometimes, he helps me get my stuff.”

Taking advantage of the situation, I told her that maybe if she finished her work on time, he’d start liking her.

I know. Complete rubbish, but I’m not one to let an opportunity like this pass.

She’s way too shy to say anything, and I couldn’t talk her into putting a little extra note in the Valentine she made him.

Six-year-old Nikki had no hang up.

She carefully printed “I like you” on the front of the Valentine she made for her first crush, Hunter. (I’m probably not supposed to say, but she wasn’t proactive enough to make me swear the way her sister did.)

She did tell me that she, too, was shy.

“Yeah, he might think she’s crazy,” Katie chimed in.

I’m trudging my way through unfamiliar territory here. It’s my inclination to treat this new development as the innocence it appears to be.

But then you see all this information about how it’s never too early to talk to your kids about those important topics like drugs, alcohol and sex.

Is this one of those times?

I’m going to trust my instincts here and allow my children to remain children. I’m going to bask in the sweetness and innocence of their first crush. And their second and third.

After that, we’ll get serious. At least I will. They better not.

For now, tis the season.

Happy Valentine’s Day.