Normative or Deviant?

What do you do if your son's best friend at school keeps inviting him over to his house and subsequently showing him his penis? Nothing? Anything?

I first heard about it after it happened a few weeks ago at our house. I was informed of it by son #2. Son #1 proceeded to confirm the story and state nonchalantly that it happened at the kid's house, too.

Then, son #1 rode the bus home with this kid and they did "something bad on the bus" which he refuses to talk about.

Monday, he went to this kid's house again. I asked, "Did you have fun over there?" to which I got an excited response about various video games they played and Naruto cards they swapped. I then asked, "Did he show his penis again?" "Oh yeah." As if it was nothing. So, of course, I don't want to make it something. I just think it's really weird behavior for a seven-year old. But I don't know. Maybe that's what boys do?

I told him that he could have this kid over if he promises that he won't let him take "it" out of his pants. "I already know that." Well, okay then.

Beyond that, what? Speak with the kid's parents? Is this something innocuous that boys do? Or the sign of worse things to come? Can any guy answer this for me?

Mistakes, I've Made a Few

My boss is not one for drama. She has only one request from us, "no surprises." If something goes wrong, she wants to know immediately. And she typically calms people down by saying things like, "Did anyone die? Did we lose a million dollars? No? Then take a deep breath."

I learned this same lesson from my mom when I was in high school.

Just before my parents left the country for a Rhine cruise, my mother mistakenly said to a group of my girlfriends, "No parties in the house when we're gone." The minute she walked away, one friend said, "Your parents are going away and you weren't planning to tell us?" I knew I was screwed.

I didn't personally plan the party but tons of people showed up. It wasn't fun at all because I was so worried but I relaxed after everyone left and the remaining few girlfriends and I danced around to the B52's and Gary Numan.

The next morning, when we were cleaning, one of my friends discovered it: a giant burn hole in my parents' dining room table. No exaggeration, it was probably 3" wide and 1" deep. There was nothing I could do but prepare for the worst.

When my parents arrived home, the first words out of my mother's mouth were, "Were you good while we were gone?" I immediately burst into tears. Even before I could ask how their trip was, I showed them the table.

My mom's response? "Relax. It's only a dining room table. Actually, I've wanted to sand out the cat paw prints anyway."

It was a watershed moment for me. Possessions don't matter in the grand scheme of life. But love and forgiveness rule.