My Son, the Brave Pervert

We went swimming tonight. Thought I'd step up to the plate of being a good mommy and start taking him more places. Swimming, maybe learning to skate, maybe gymnastics or something... The kid is loves to 'do' things. And I'd like to do more things with him...

It seems I should have started this swimming thing earlier than three and a half years. Because two year olds were kicking his butt in the bravery department. He clung to me like a leech and would not let go.

And we were just sitting on the edge of the shallow end. Eventually he got a bit more brave and he started walking in the ankle deep water. Even ventured to mid calf...

And then he looked up. Waaaay up. And decided he needed to take the quantum leap and go on the big-ass waterslide. I kept saying no, but he was insistent. So up we went. He was still insistent. "It will be fun!" he kept saying. I was doubtful.

We sat at the top of it, where the water starts to rush in, and he immediately became the leech again. But not to be swayed and determined that it wouldn't kill him... we set off. Half way down the pool was regaled with the sound of "NOT FUN! NOT FUN!" echoing off the insides of the slide.

But we made it.

After a few minutes he admitted that he was scared. I said he was brave.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

I explained that it meant that he was scared but he went ahead and did it anyways.

He was ok with that. Nevermind that it was only my stubbornness that refused to walk back down the stairs once we got to the top.

Now. Onto the pervert part.

As my son has rarely been in public in a bathing suit, I was unprepared for a few things. Apparently, somewhere in his life we've missed the step where you don't stick your hand down your pants and play with your penis when talking to people.

A little girl with cute curls at the end of her hair and stylish little bangs was sitting next to my son in the pool. In true pervert style, my son stood there, crammed his hand down his pants and said "hi my name is..."

As she looked at him blankly, I vainly tried to yank his arm out from his swim shorts. I ushered him quickly away and explained that when we are in public, it isn't nice to have our hands in our pants.

"But mommy," he said, looking at my with the most quizzical expression, "I want to play with my penis?"

I guess that's.... brave.