by Nicole Smith

Created on: September 30, 2009

Ahhh children... what a blessing they are. At times their innocence can be therapeutic and their sincerity is often a means for comic relief. A few weeks ago, my soon to be 5 year old was intently playing with his new Transformer when all a sudden and quite out of the blue he asked, Mommy, when am I going get my boobs? Not quite sure I heard him correctly, I turned off the water (I was washing dishes) and said, Sweetie, Mommy didn't hear you. What did you say? Listening to his question more intently this time, he asked me again, when am I going to get my boobs? Admittedly, his question stumped me as so many things ran through my mind. As if he heard my unasked question, my son supplied me with an answer. Eunice at school said when you turn 5 years old you get boobs. Since her birthday already passed she is going to ask her mom if she can buy her some for her next birthday. If she listens in school and doesn't get in timeout maybe her mom will get her some for Christmas. I stood there looking down at my son who continued playing with his Transformer but who was silently waiting for my reply. I couldn't believe I was getting ready to have this talk with my 5 year old son. His father and I have discussed dialing 911 in emergencies, showing him family's phone numbers on the speed dial and good touches and bad touches but boobs were never introduced because he's a boy!

Honey, first things first, do you even know what boobs are I asked him. Yeah, Eunice said they are these two knots right here, as he demonstrated by pointing to his chest. Right then and there we had a crash course thanks to Eunice, a fellow kindergartner at his school on the proper name for boobs. Baby, when a girl becomes a young lady she develops breasts. He immediately cut me off and said, no Mom you're wrong. Eunice said they're called boobs. He and I go back and forth for a while and it takes some doing but I finally convince him of their proper name. After barely winning the proper name battle I have to burst his little bubble by telling him that boys don't get breasts. But why he asked. God saw fit to give them to girls and you're a boy I told him. But you aren't just any little boy, you're a big boy, a good boy and a strong boy.

Thinking that this was the end of our conversation, I bend down and plant a kiss on his forehead. As I walk back into the kitchen to resume washing the dishes, a few moments pass when I am joined by my son who is looking at me puzzled. Hey Buddy, are you okay I asked him. Mommy you're wrong. Boys do have boobs (so much for me winning the proper name battle). My cousin has them and he's a boy he says. This leads to a conversation about children eating healthy as my nephew is a little overweight - and yes, it does look like he has breasts. In the middle of my healthy eating spiel, my little guy says, never mind mom. When you pick me up from school tomorrow you should talk to Eunice because she knows everything because she's a girl and you're just a mom.

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