Boyz 2 Men

Sam and Carter marked a milestone together this weekend. Quite literally together. After considerable hesitation at the threshold and more than a few changes of heart, the two of them steeled themselves for a march into a public washroom on their own. Like men. Like men who pee in a men's room. Like men who pee in a men's room without a parent in there with them.

The boys have had enough of being ushered by their mothers past that univeral icon, Woman in Dress. Of lining up to wash at sinks crowded with ladies who smile indulgently at them during make-up touch-ups. Of squeezing past laden-down mothers plopping newborns on the baby changer. Clearly this is not the domain of big boys: big boys who command the water canon on the splash pad, who call for the spaceship swing to go higher and higher, who conquer the zip cord and who are thinking about trying the monkey bars. When nature calls to boys such as these, surely they seek out that other universal icon, Man in Pants.

So after three hours of play and picnic at Brewer Park, Sam and Carter found themselves facing that uncomfortable dilemma: the ladies' room with mom or the men's room on their own. The park facilities have a staggered entry rather than a door, so it wasn't too daunting a proposition to run in and run out. They'd taken a few tester steps towards the divide when a very well-intentioned man stepping past them sized up the situation and offered to accompany them. Hhhm. More or less the embodiment of their half-formed fears (not to mention ours) right there. Nice, but Stranger in Pants set the whole decision back about 5 minutes. Looked like it would be the Powder Room once more.

Finally, wiggly with a dangerously full bladder, Sam suddenly bolted for the stalls leaving a stunned Carter at the entry: "Sam!? Where did you go?" From inside, Sam replied: "I'm in this one!" And that was it. Carter ran in to join him. They came flying out 60 seconds later and had to be about-faced for handwashing, but they were obviously proud of themselves. The men's room. But wasn't it just yesterday that we were the mothers strapping our little bundles onto those Koala change tables, practically heedless of the fact that there were boy parts in those diapers?

For now, I think I'll call it The Little Boy's Room. Little boy in pants...