I have a beautiful son, who I adore. He is now three years old and has plenty to say on everything. What clothes he wants to wear. Whether or not he wants to go to school, and what toys he wants for Christmas. While this age presents it’s own challenges, I am so glad he is not two any more. I am especially glad he has outgrown the parrot stage.
The parrot stage, for those of you who don’t have children, is the time in their life when they repeat everything you say. I have, or had, a habit of speaking my mind when I’m in a car by myself. I continued this to include when it was only my son and I in the car after he was born. I learned my lesson on a warm summer day, bringing my son home from preschool.
I had just picked him up and started our trip home when we had to stop for a traffic light. As I brought the car to a stop, a young woman with rather large breasts started across the street in front of us. She seemed to be wearing a tank top that was at least two sizes too small. I said, out loud to myself, “wow look at those”. No sooner than I had closed my mouth I heard the same words from the back of the car. My two year old said “wow look at those”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I quickly turned around and gave him the finger to the mouth be quiet sign. Too late he said it again. I began pointing out trucks, trees, birds, anything to get him to say something else. Finally I got him to talk about his bottle as we pulled up to our home. My relief was short lived as soon as his mother opened the door.
Surely he will say just what I don’t want him to say. Somehow he’ll pick now to really start talking. When his mother asks where he heard that he’ll definitely rat me out. I pulled myself together kissed her and winked at my son. He must of understood because I didn’t hear the words I was dreading all night. In fact, several weeks went by and I forgot all about it. Then we went to the mall.
As I pushed him in his stroller through the mall a young ,well endowed woman walked in front of us as we approached the Disney store. My young parrot reappeared and I heard those words again. “Wow look at those”. My heart sank. How was I gonna explain this? I’m gonna be sleeping on the sofa for months. As I turned to his mother she looked proudly at our son and said “Yes that is Mickey Mouse and his friends”. Thank goodness for the Disney store!
Needless to say I no longer talk to myself out loud when my son is around. I think my parrot has turned into his own person. I just hope I don’t hear those words again until he’s sixteen. Then I’ll just look at him and wink.
