One of my favorite things about being a mother is watching my kids experience the world without inhibition. Of course, there is a point where one might ask where the line is drawn between the innocent lack of inhibition and just plain manners. One thing I do appreciate the most from my kids is that they are young enough to see truth in the world and feel confident enough to speak what the want. Regardless of who is around.
When I caught my son fishing for something up in his nose, examine it, and then decide to taste it, I had to figure out a catchy way to nip that habit in the bud. Now, I’m sure, as a kid, we all were intrigued by the crunchy, salty taste that comes out of our noses, but there are a few people in this world that still, as adults, search for the perfect bite. At that moment, when I saw him go for the mouth I shouted “Shyel, dude, just pick and flick it!”. I figured the rhyme was catchy enough for him to rethink his booger eating attempts in the near future.
A few weeks later, during circle time at his preschool, his teacher was reading a book called “That’s Disgusting” by Francesco Pittau and Bernadette Gervais. As soon as she got to the part about how eating boogers was disgusting, my son raised his hand passionately in the air and said to the whole class that, “My mommy said you shouldn’t eat your boogers, just pick it and flick it!”. Although I am a huge supporter of the 1st amendment, I made a note to myself to figure out another rhyme that would remind my son of “time and place”.
The lack of inhibition is a glorious thing and as I look at my kids, I envy the newness and the innocence behind it. A few days ago, at the beach, my son and his friend managed to get everything wet. As we were changing them, they took off running in the sand, free as birds, butt naked. I watched them both, screaming with delight, sand in every crevice, pure, unadulterated joy shining off their beautiful 3 year old faces. I noticed that other people on the beach were watching our boys. I wasn’t sure if they were thinking “ok, that’s cute enough, now, get their clothes back on” or, thinking what I was thinking…I wish I could be that free. The total, innocent, beautiful, lack of any type of inhibition. I thought to myself, enjoy it now kid, because with each passing moment, the world finds ways to inhibit us. Be free little man.
