Boy Parts!
I think it's important to celebrate the "proud mom moments." Those moments when we do or say something right, and we think, "Hey! I'm awesome," or, "Golly, I handled that well!" As moms, our thoughts tend to lean toward the negative and critical. We get bogged down in what we think we're doing wrong. What would happen if we stopped that nonsense?!
I had a "proud mom moment" recently. It involved a straightforward conversation with Lilly about the differences between boys and girls. I did not break out into hives. I did not develop sweaty armpits. I even said "the word." An ugly, awkward-to-say (for me, anyway), easy-to-despise word...
Penis.
Let me explain. The littlest man in my life has newly embraced an affinity for streaking. He loves to shed his clothes, get naked as a jaybird, and run wild and free throughout the house. It makes me cuckoo!
One afternoon, Lilly was in the bathtub and Cam was streaking. In between washing Barbie's hair and scrubbing her own feet, Lilly asked:
"Why does Cam have stuff that just dangles there? What is it? It's weird."
"Lilly, do you remember how you have private parts?," I asked. "Well, boys do too. That's Cam's."
She scrunched up her nose and looked at me, "Is his bum falling out? It looks like something is falling out."
"No," I replied. "He has a bum and then he has a private part. Just like you. You have a bum and a girl part. A vagina, remember? Cam's boy part is called a penis."
"PEANUTS!?," Lilly exclaimed.
"No, Lil. Penis. Peeenissss."
"Oh," she said, as she dumped a teacup full of water on Barbie's head. "Well, it sounds like PEANUTS and IT is disgusting!"
And there you have it, folks. I know that to many parents this seems like a silly moment to "jump for joy" over...but for me, it was a small victory. I used correct terminology, was direct in my delivery, and remained "cool, calm, and collected" regarding a topic many find...panic-inducing? Within a few minutes, Lilly was "over it"--growing bored of our impromptu anatomy lesson--and I was mentally acknowledging my "proud mom moment."
Sigh.
I think I need to lie down.
I think I need a Diet Coke.
I had a "proud mom moment" recently. It involved a straightforward conversation with Lilly about the differences between boys and girls. I did not break out into hives. I did not develop sweaty armpits. I even said "the word." An ugly, awkward-to-say (for me, anyway), easy-to-despise word...
Penis.
Let me explain. The littlest man in my life has newly embraced an affinity for streaking. He loves to shed his clothes, get naked as a jaybird, and run wild and free throughout the house. It makes me cuckoo!
One afternoon, Lilly was in the bathtub and Cam was streaking. In between washing Barbie's hair and scrubbing her own feet, Lilly asked:
"Why does Cam have stuff that just dangles there? What is it? It's weird."
"Lilly, do you remember how you have private parts?," I asked. "Well, boys do too. That's Cam's."
She scrunched up her nose and looked at me, "Is his bum falling out? It looks like something is falling out."
"No," I replied. "He has a bum and then he has a private part. Just like you. You have a bum and a girl part. A vagina, remember? Cam's boy part is called a penis."
"PEANUTS!?," Lilly exclaimed.
"No, Lil. Penis. Peeenissss."
"Oh," she said, as she dumped a teacup full of water on Barbie's head. "Well, it sounds like PEANUTS and IT is disgusting!"
And there you have it, folks. I know that to many parents this seems like a silly moment to "jump for joy" over...but for me, it was a small victory. I used correct terminology, was direct in my delivery, and remained "cool, calm, and collected" regarding a topic many find...panic-inducing? Within a few minutes, Lilly was "over it"--growing bored of our impromptu anatomy lesson--and I was mentally acknowledging my "proud mom moment."
Sigh.
I think I need to lie down.
I think I need a Diet Coke.
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