Double standard

So Ben and I were out to dinner with another couple a few nights ago. Ben nudged me, pointing to the table next to ours, where a girl (11ish?) was reading a book while her parents and little sister chatted and finished dinner.

I was immediately transported back to my own childhood when I had my nose in a book during every spare moment. I felt a little sparkle of kinship and, cheesily enough, pride for the girl. As if *I* had anything to do with the fact that she was reading. I suppose I just considered her one of my "people"--and, let's face it, nine times out of ten it's a Nintendo DS kids are engrossed in at the dinner table these days, not a paperback.

Which brings me to my point: Ben and I HATE--HAAAAAAAATE HATE HATE HATE--it when we see kids playing video games at the dinner table. Bottom line, we've all got to endure things we don't want to and if you can't handle sitting through dinner with your family then how are you going to be able to sit through three hour meetings at your job? Or four hour labs in college? Or whatever. You get the point.

But this girl? Reading a book? I was all, "THAT GIRL IS AWE! SOME! Her parents should be commended! I love it!" When, really, what's the difference?

I mean, I suppose it could have been a homework assignment but let's assume it wasn't (and frankly, she looked like she was waaaaay too engrossed in it for it to be actual "work.") I hate double standards and was quite chagrinned to find myself gleefully engaging in one.