brotherly advice

On Monday, while Aidan was on a playdate (actually I think he would prefer me to say hanging out with a friend now because he is so over playdates), Nadia and I made a detour to Viera's to pick up an after dinner treat. The girl says to me, and I quote, "Mama, I know what a girl's secret weapon against boy is."

I know for certain that is what she said because when your snowy six year old says something that seems to elude to womanly wiles you pay very close attention. She is no stranger to the toot witticism, and the child can belch like a full grown man, but she still shields my eyes demurely when people kiss on TV.

I tried to play it cool and said, "oh yeah, what?"

She says, "uuhhhhhh, never mind, I don't like to speak of it in public."  Who is she?  A 19th century highborn?

No, no...seriously, this is what she said to me.

I pressed on, "Well now I am curious, what is a girl’s secret weapon against a boy?"

"Well you know how dad calls it a dink sometimes?" she asks innocently.

I press my lips together so as not to giggle. A dink, in case you’re wondering, is exactly what you think it is. Aidan has a little trouble keeping his clothes on. In fact, he takes his clothes off at any opportunity or fails to put them on completely. Tony can be heard, at regular intervals, saying, "Aidan, cover your dink!" I have acclimated to a certain level of naked-ninny-ness in my house and so rarely bat an eyelash at the sight of a spare tush.

"Yes, Noni, I know what a dink is." I say, trying to encourage her to continue.

"Well, Aidan said that if a boy ever tries to take my love away from you then I should just kick them in the dink. I think that would hurt really bad so maybe I will just tell him he has to put on cut-offs and a tank top and go stand in a blizzard."

I say, "hmmm, I think you are right, that would hurt very bad. Maybe you could just tell him that you love me and only me?"   (This should keep boys at bay for at least 10 years, right?)

With her hand on her chin, contemplating the solution she nods like the light bulb turned on and says, "Good idea Mama!"