Why the Darling, Retro Shoots and Ladders game is going to the Salvation Army or at least camping out in the back hall closet for now

I love this board, the lay out, the well designed tin box (that things actually fit in when you are done playing), the way it helped M get more comfortable with counting, and that my neighbors bought it for my sons – I miss Randy and Ezra!  But, the retro illustrations bug my boys:

B, “When the girl has a shute, it’s because she was careless and made a mistake: and she never does anything naughty unless it’s the boy’s idea.  And when the boys does a shute, it’s because he’s being naughty.  When the girl does a ladder, it’s becasue she was doing something nice and thoughtful, where as when the boys does a ladder, it’s becasue he did a nice painting or he exercised.  It may be vintage, but it’s very uncivilized.”

M, “But the boy did pick up a purse someone dropped, you know, where he gets an ice cream cone?”

So, is virtue the same for boys and girls?  Are the 1930’s illustrations onto human behavior, or are they reflecting the modern idea that females are more altruistic than males?

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…