Thursday, October 24, 2013

It's all fun and games until someone licks a worm.

We had WONDERFUL Weather this month, which lead to us working outside.  As the boys were exploring, they decided it would be fun to fix up a boat to put in our pond.  My Parents were visiting so Pops helped the boys clean out and wash up the boat.  Soon it was time to test it out in true redneck style.



After walking to the pond Nonna and I Found just the boys in the boat, Hutch was driving the trolling motor swirling around in circles.  Thankful my dad was just playing a trick on us and got up from the bottom of the boat.  My Plans were to watch but of course the boys talked me into letting them ride me around.  This was no Peaceful trip, Curtis only knows One speed, it doesn't matter what directions he is going or what is in front of us, He was going fast.  And Hutch was fixated on dropping the anchor so we could fish.  Eric finally gets in a position to fish and tells Hutch he can drop the Anchor.  The only problem was no one had Tied the anchor off.  So it disappears to the bottom of the pond. 
So the boys no longer have the trolling motor or the Anchor to play with so they are ready to fish.  If you know anything about fishing with your Husband, he quickly gets intense on catching a fish.  Which means dealing with the boys becomes a hassle that falls to you.  Let us remember I am not a fan of gross slimy stuff.  So helping the boys put a worm on their hooks is not on my list of Fun afternoon activities.  Soon my son Curtis realizes this and begins to torture me. 

For some Crazy Reason at our house whenever something is gross my husband challenges the boys to eat it for money.  Why this happens is beyond me but The boys have tried all kinds of things for cash.  So when Eric offered up a dollar to lick the worm Curtis was all about it.  Which of course meant my other boys also licked it because they could not be out done by their little brother.  When Curtis challenged Eric for a dollar per lick, My husband stopped the challenge at 2 dollars. 
The biggest surprise, we caught some fish. 

City Girl Lesson:

Boys will be boys.  Before I had my children I thought this was all about kids but it is something men never grow out of.  My Husband can challenge the boys to do anything and they will.  Climb a tree, Throw a water balloon at their loving mother, attach a lizard to their ear, eat fish food and the list goes on and on!  I just don't get it, and I know most of you reading this may thing that I am crazy for letting this go on.  BUT being a gross boy has a lot to do with making a Man.  The same man I depend on to kill snakes, be my personal handyman, and bring home the bacon started out as a curious gross boy.  Thankfully He had Real men in his life to challenge him to do uncomfortable stupid things.  As women we struggle with understanding how this works but If you want your boy to become a Man Let him be gross.  LET the men in his life train him to face challenges and fail, LET him learn to be strong when he feels frightened, LET him not be scared of worms and bugs (even if that means he tortures you with them).  I don't know how it works, that is a man secret.  It makes me appreciate all the Real men in my life that are willing to pass this secret along to my boys.