PUBERTY

OK, so this is not my first ride on the puberty train. I have already graduated one out and through it onto his own. It has been a few years though since I went through the beginning of it with my first one, but just like a bike you start to remember as you get back on.

The other night while my 12 year old and I were lying in bed watching TV (big secret but we like John and Kate plus eight, shhhh don't tell) he puts his arms up behind his head. And low and behold if he did not have a big patch of arm pit hair! How did that get there with out me knowing! All summer long I have not noticed this, I have noticed the change in attitude though. So not without some laughter I asked him "Do you have hair in other places?" He said MOM!!!!!!! Well......just making sure.... boys never tell you anything. My husband let me know that that is NOT something to be shared with moms, and my time is coming with the daughter.

This middle child may be my downfall. The first day of school the head PTA mom tells me that my 6th grader had his name on the school reader board. I asked how can that be on the first day of school? Apparently over the summer the school reader board was vandalized and the letters were re-arranged to spell out I LOVE COLTON D****. When I asked Colton if he knew this, he said his teacher had told him, but he did not know who would do that! Great! It is funny and strange all at the same time.

So our latest trip down the puberty trail has led us to THE BIG TALK. Don't get me wrong we have had many little talks. Colton is the youngest of a long line of boys brothers/cousins in our family. This time curious boy, 12 yr old puberty victim, is hanging out at the local skate park with a bunch of his friends and a couple girls. He decides to ask one of the girls older sister (hmmm my face is red thinking of this) what she would do if the said girl lifted up her shirt. The older sister being the good sister she is, did what she should have. She told her MOM!

So begins the phone calls between parents. Not the best way to meet a fellow classmates mom I must say. Luckily this mom is very nice with a teenage daughter and 3 more girls behind her. Our conversation went something like this...me -I am so sorry, that was so inappropriate for my child to say or even suggest.....her saying-She understands, she is experiencing the girl puberty and just wants to make sure that nothing inappropriate is going on...me-Reassuring her that it will never happen again and that a talk will be had. Ending the conversation on a nice note. I am thankful this is a nice down to earth mom who is on top of things with her girls. I really appreciate her following through and being so kind to me during this embarrassing parent moment.

So the beginning of the BIG TALK, in a long list of talks has started. We discussed appropriate questions. Respect for girls, how every girl is someones daughter/sister/cousin. Curiosity, and who it is OK to talk about these things with. (I can bet I am not the first on the list, but luckily for him he has his Dad and older brother and cousins.) The best part is that I know that he will come to me in times of need for other things if not for this one.

BIG SIGH, I am getting old now. I have another one behind him to ride the puberty train with, and a girl no less. HELP!!!!! I am just hoping that I make it through with all my senses intact.