Boyz to Men: Mating for Minors

I don’t know if the “treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen” approach is genetically encoded into male DNA or what, but watching the mating rituals of 6th graders has truly been a revelation.
 
Since around 3rd grade, the girls have been circling ever closer, ever more fervently. But lately they’ve begun to explode, one by one into a mass of body odor, hormones and passionate need (desperation?).
 
Although 6th graders are all over the growth chart, the girls are often so far ahead of the boys, it’s mind-boggling. Meanwhile, the hottie boys are all easy to spot as they seem to develop, through pure instinct, the powerful pull of indifference and disdain. Or possibly cluelessness...its still unclear.
 
As a former pre-pubescent, smelly, hormonal girl myself, it's all a bit disturbing to watch this sorry ritual unfold day in and day out. I’m appalled, and yet somehow I can’t look away.
 
My son’s best friend actually had a line of girls literally queuing up at their elementary school graduation in the hopes of having their picture taken with him. This is after most of them had been fighting for his affection all year long, writing him notes like, “don’t let the evil ___ take you away from me. Take me to the birthday party.”
 
Lately, my own son’s cell phone seems to be constantly trilling with the arrival of a new text, all from girls, of course...and all, invariably, ignored. Sometimes he blithely turns off his cell phone mid-ring, as if it’s all too much for him to handle.
 
Last week after repeated attempts, I got him to finally open his school email account for the first time. Turns out he had three months worth of emails from various girls. Without even a moment of curiosity or compunction, the kid deleted ALL 75 emails in one mass dump!?
 
So I decided to put this issue out to my facebook friends:
 
Me: Heartless or sensible? He deleted them all without answering a one.
 
Amy:  Given his age and the Pandora's box the replies could open, I'd say sensible. He can always claim continued ignorance if they ask. I'm just glad the kid will be enjoying being a kid for a while longer.
 
Allie (my friend, not me): From a girl's perspective: he's heartless. From a guy's perspective: huh? What'd I do? Amy says he's a kid for a while longer, but I think it signifies the beginning of manhood!
 
Amy: Oy. Allie, I hadn't thought of it that way.
 
Mark: He just can’t be bothered. Sensible. He’s not interested.
 
Abbey: Did he even read them? I just hope these girls learn the implied message early, and put their energies where they will be reciprocated.
 
June: 75???? What did they say? And, good for girls for taking the initiative. I would never have been so bold at 11. I don't think my son has ever checked his email. Susan, on the other hand, obsessively checks hers a couple of times a day. And writes emails all the time. And yep, some to boys. At 8.
        
Tom: Do kids use e-mail?
   
So is it really true: the less you care, the more pulling power you’ll have? And vice-versa?

Whether they know it or not, do these little guys get the essence of attracting the opposite sex way better than I ever have? And the girls—oh girls!—so hopeful, so eager, like little steamrollers. Smarten up! Take a lesson. It doesn’t have to be this way!
 
These 11-year-olds could teach you singletons a thing or two about mating, I tell you. I’m thinking of having him come do a seminar at the next meatup.
 
What do you think?