Good God, people, what’s the harm in giving a tween boy the only key to a rather inconsequential wooden gate?! He’s probably in charge of putting the garbage out and has been trusted to keep the key all by himself, since he’s not a toddler. It’s a pretty low risk way to make a boy feel important in the household. I mean, if he does misplace it, you cut the old padlock w your bolt cutters and replace it w a new $6 padlock set. I agree it’s possibly significant that she brought it up, but in and of itself his having the only key us nothing to clutch our pearls over. My 10 year old boy has even greater things entrusted to him. It teaches responsibility and helps them contribute to the workings of household. Want to turn a boy into a man? Put him in charge of something important. Then watch him rise to the challenge!
