There’s something to be said for immaturity. And, no, it’s not nanny nanny boo boo, stick your head in doo doo. That would be just silly. What I’m talking about is a moment I shared recently with my youngest little dude.
Speed Racer is a rising fifth grader. He’s a double-digit midget (10 years old) and, to all intents and purposes, is growing up as quickly as possible. And, of course, I’m sort of hating it. He’s my youngest, you see. He’s the baby of the family, even though he doesn’t act it. When he graduates from elementary school at the end of next year, it’ll be the end of an era. I’ll have no more kids in the younger grades and I’m already hating that idea.
Anyway, the other night while we were still on vacation, Speed Racer ran out of gas. He literally passed out on the couch, slumped over onto the pillow at the end of the couch. Out like that Adam guy from American Idol. Well, not exactly out like that, but, still, out. Asleep. I took the chance to relive a little of my past glories and, once again, found out that I’m getting much, much older. I picked the little dude up, snuggled his head onto my shoulder and walked with him upstairs to his bed. It felt like I’d walked a mile.
When I reached his bed, I gently laid him down (that is, I didn’t bounce his head off the wall or drop him onto the floor), and pulled up the sheets and blanket. As I was getting ready to leave, Speed Racer blearily opened his eyes and looked at me.
“Dad,” he asked.
“Yeah, son.”
“Will you still wake me up fun when I get older?”
(This makes much more sense if you know that almost every morning, I get upstairs in his room to wake him up for school. Sometimes I’ll grab one of his Webkinz stuffed animals and then pretend that the animal is jumping around and licking his face or trying to eat his ears or something like that. I’ll keep doing this until he wakes up and starts smiling. Sure, sometimes it’s a pain in the butt, but, for the most part, I thin it’s cute as all get out.)
I smiled down at the little dude and thought about all the times I’d forced a rabbit to go on the rampage and try to eat Speed’s nose and worry out loud about the Holy Hand Grenade. (Remember, this rabbit has really, really big teef.)
I thought about how, when I was his age, you’d never find me with any stuffed animals. Nor would you find me having to, or wanting to, use one of my parents as an alarm clock. I know I was much more mature at his age. And I am so glad he’s not there yet.
“Of course I will, son. I’ll do it as long as you want me to.”
He smiled, screwed his head into the pillow and closed his eyes.
“Goodnight, Dad.”
I didn’t stop smiling for until I went to sleep later that night. Or possibly even later. I do remember having some pretty strange dreams about attacking rabbits or very fast turtles going after my toes.
– Richard
Tags: 10 Years, A Dude's Guide to Kids, Adam Guy, alarm, Alarm Clock, American Idol, Animals, Baby Of The Family, Couch, dad, Doo Doo, dude, Ears, family, Fifth Grader, Fun, growing up, Immaturity, Intents And Purposes, kid, kids, little dude, Maturity, Midget, mom, Pain In The Butt, parents, Rabbit, richard, school, silly, sleep, Smile, Speed Racer, turtles, vacation, webkinz, Webkinz Stuffed Animals, young