Where to go when you're not here.

“My son is four, and he is nothing if not preoccupied with body parts and their purposes. Couple that with a hazy grasp of personal boundaries, and I usually don’t get through the day without removing a small hand from my shirt and explaining about privacy. But have I accused him of sexual harassment? Well, once. But that was a revenge thing, okay? I admit it.”

There's a new post over at Wonderland today, my friends.

In more important news:

Because the Internet can be a great place sometimes, there’s this auction underway, and you should check it out. It’s in honor of a special little boy named Tanner. Tanner, who happens to be the wonderful Her Bad Mother’s nephew, is suffering from Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that is always terminal. Her Bad Mother tells his story here. If you can manage to sit upright after reading it, go forth to the auction. All proceeds will be donated for Muscular Dystrophy Research. The auction ends on Sunday, so hurry up! What are you still doing here?

Comments

[n.b.]

Oh my, many thanks for this info and link!

[MomSquared]

I hope you don't mind that I mentioned the auction on my blog and copied-and-pasted your description because I'm too damn lazy to write it out myself.

[Her Bad Friend]

thanks alice.

[mcmilker]

Exaggerated eye roll, large sigh and agreement on your comment about the aide not having kids…or she didn’t nurse. As one who practiced extended nursing much longer than necessary, I have to concur that 4-year-olds (like mine) still like to snuggle up to “num-nums”, “yummies” or “mil-mils”. I actually think that the aide should be branded as a sexual predator for daring to have her breasts at 4-year-old head level :-)

[clickmom]

You know, teaching those boundaries is all part of the deal, and then believe it or not, before you barely have time to blink, one day they decide that they can shower all by themselves, you are no longer welcome in their bedroom when they are putting on their jammies, and that the grossest thing of all, would be walking in on you naked in the bathroom. They actually learn to knock before entering.

sigh. Time flies.

[MontanaJen]

I prepared myself, I clicked, and I am no longer upright and dry-eyed.

Tanner's story is just breaking my ever-lovin' heart - that sweet faced little boy. Oh, my...

These are the stories that make me wonder and awe that folks are able to walk around everyday having kids, healthy kids, not going crazy from worry about an odd test that comes back positive for one thing or negative for another. I hope, as long as I live, I will not be able to wrap my mind around the heartbreak that certainly grips Tanner's parents and loved ones.

[Her Bad Mother]

Thanks so much, Alice. So much.

[Mocha]

It's like I'm terminally pre-menstrual or something because all you have to do is mention Tanner to me and it's all over. I cried the first time. The second. The third.

Seriously. I think my heart is somewhere in the kitchen where I dropped it. I'm in the bedroom. That could present a potential problem. (Like alliteration)

[mothergoosemouse]

Many thanks, Alice.

[nadarine]

!!! congratulations !!!
I read a mention of your book deal in today's Times- I'm so, so glad that I'll have yet another outlet to read your Finslippiness. (Finslipperyness?)
Huzzah for getting paid to write!

[Erika]

Ah, my son is also unaware of personal boundries. This morning, he grabbed the front of my jeans and said, I pinched your pee pee. Nice. I tried to explain the whole private parts thing and he just rolled his eyes and walked away. 4.7 and 16 all rolled into one.

[The Dad from Looky, Daddy!]

I used to take regular showers with my 3-to-4 year old daughter. They ended when I could not get her to stop "accidentally" knocking into my naughties with her forehead.

[Jack's Raging Mommy]

My step-son has been with us for a while, and I realized he needed some talking to after he referred to his penis as his "bad place".
Honestly, what has his mother been saying to him?
Anyway, the word penis has been said way too much in our house for the past few weeks :)

[Doll House Lover]

Thanks for sharing this info! We all need to help out however we can.

[You can call me, 'Sir']

You're killing me, Alice. Killing me softly with your links, tearing my heart out...with your linkage.

One minute, it's just me and the coffee and the contentment. Then the voices in my head ask, "We wonder what Alice is up to?" Next thing I know, I'm on the floor weeping and rending my garments.

That story is a heart ripper upper.