Conversation with a little boy....

When I was visiting very good friends in Florida, the son of the family, a child who by the way remembered that I told him I kept a grinder in my basement because bad children have to go somewhere...I will apologize in a big way one day, any way, we were on our way to the paradise like beach where he lives and I was thumbing through Seventeen. I love that mag! The section was on what jeans to wear and what to wear with them...accessorize I suppose the word is. Anyway, one section was on being Pear-Shaped actually they may use a new term for that now, being rail thin without hips, and finally the skinny pants to wear when you are Plus-Sized. His gorgeous sister was on his left, he in his booster seat (what a good mommy) and me plus-sized mind you on his right. He says, hmmm she's fat. What an opportunity! A seven year old telling me what he thought about the woman in the magazine. Beyonce was fat, Brittany Spears was too, the models some were fat based on their clothing. Zooey D, one of my favorite actresses was fat too. My. So I returned to page one and asked him about each girl, well not each but casually kept my cool and said What about her? and her? and her?...He then stated as we neared the end of the magazine that I had skipped the fat ones, which I didn't think I did. I was working on calming his mothers' fears (she is too plus-sized), his sisters' embarrassment ( no need to be I thrive on this objective info) and my excitement at his opinion, knowledge, and well who he might take to his first party. My what we view as fat. I wondered then how deep I could go? Would his mother mind if I asked him, Do kids make fun of mom when she picks you up? Do you wish I was thinner? What is wrong with being like this girl? Is she happier, sadder, smart, dumb? I am still excited to continue this conversation with good ole J.B. He is honest and because I did my best not to correct him he felt free to share his views with me, how often does that happen? Never.

It reminds me of my nephews' answer to his mother while living in Switzerland over 11 years ago, was he even 5? As they walked into the now de-funk (to me) H and M to check out the B and B line, he asked "Mom, what does B and B mean?" "Why son, it means Big is Beautiful!" He stated in the serious tone he uses today "...that's just an advertisement..." How right he was, How right he is.