A week or so later, Felicity is chatting with her sister on the telephone. The conversation is interrupted a couple of times when Penelope has to tell her son to stop doing something, to be quiet, and to stop teasing his sister. “Hey, I was talking to my friend last week… the one who puts her son in dresses,” Felicity says. “She calls it petticoating and she gave me a pamphlet to give you.”
“I’m not sure if that’s what he needs,” Penny replied, before interrupting the conversation again to threaten her son with good hiding. “Discipline is what he needs.”
“Petticoating is discipline and according to Cath, it’s far more effective than smacking,” Felicity told her. “She said she was having the same problems as you before she began putting Peter in dresses,” she claimed. “These days she says he’s ever so well behaved and from what little I’ve seen, it does appear to be very effective.” Felicity went on to describe a scene from her last visit to Catherine’s house. They were drinking coffee and chatting in the kitchen when Peter and Emily arrived home. “Peter’s in his first year at high school and Emily’s still at junior school. He collects his little sister after school every day and walks her home. Emily was wearing her gingham school dress and Peter was wearing his school trousers, shirt, and tie. Catherine asked them if they had any homework and of course, they had.” Felicity explained. “She told Emily to get on with it and sent Peter to get changed. We vacated the dining table and moved to the sitting room, and Peter came downstairs wearing a girl’s school uniform!”
Penelope was flabbergasted. “A gingham dress like his sister’s” she imagined.
“No… a little pleated school skirt with white knee socks and black ballet shoes, just like the high school girls wear.” Felicity described. “He was very bashful because I was there but apparently, he does it every day after school until his homework’s complete, then he can wear his boy clothes.”
“I can’t imagine George doing that,” Penelope replied. “It’s hard enough getting him to do his homework, let alone getting him to dress as a girl first!”
“Catherine said that it’s a lot easier than one would expect. She says that Peter’s more worried about his friends finding out about his dresses than he is about actually wearing them… which I guess is what makes him so willing.” Felicity explained. “And he does wear girl’s undies,” she added.
“Well I don’t know about you but it seems a little cruel,” Penny replied.
“So does give them a good hiding.” Felicity retorted. “If physical punishment worked you wouldn’t have to threaten him with it so often.”
“I know I know… it’s very rare that I actually smack him. Plus, he’s getting a little old for that now. He’ll be ten in November.”
Their phone conversation soon ended and Felicity said she’d get the pamphlet over to her sister soon. Although Penelope did state that she wasn’t at all keen on the idea. A few days later, Felicity called in on her sister and gave her the pamphlet.
“I love this outfit,” Felicity said, pointing out the boy on the cover wearing a pretty cotton pinafore over a very smart short suit with girlie knee socks and girl’s shoes. “And it claims that petticoated boys are far more willing to help around that house.”
“He could certainly help more with the chores.” Penny sighed. “…but you know how stubborn he can be. If he doesn’t want to do something, he won’t.”
“Why don’t you give it a try?” Felicity suggested. “Let’s see how stubborn he is when he’s wearing a dress.”
“You’ll find that out when you try to get him to wear one… it’d never happen,” Penny claimed. “Plus I’d have to buy him one first. None of Alice’s would fit him.”
“True… it’s the same for Cath. Emily’s dresses don’t fit Peter but she’s been petticoating him for a couple of years now and Emily gets her brother’s hand-me-downs.” Felicity stated.
Penny emitted a nervous chuckle. “Imagine getting hand-me-down dresses from your big brother!”
“I know. And when Emily starts high school, she’ll be wearing her brother’s hand-me-down uniform.” Felicity grinned.