Identity

Twig has been touching himself constantly lately. After about a week with no clear end in sight I asked him about it. "What's going on with you"? His response was "Well, it's scratchy." So, the following Saturday morning - c'mon, I had nothing better to do - we made our way to the pediatrician's office for a drop-in appointment.

There was nothing obvious that the doctor could see except a patch of skin that was a bit rough. He wasn't certain but thought that it could possibly be Jock Itch. We were given a prescription and told not to use the medication for more than two weeks because it's really strong stuff and can cause thinning of the skin.

We used the medication sparingly for a few days with no obvious reduction in the frequency or aggressiveness of the scratching. I am concerned for my son's future genital health - after all I required that we test his name to be sure it would be well said in the heat of passion (a mother's or a lover's) - it's an important test - think about it. Anyway, earlier this week, not unlike every other week that he goes to school, Twig's drawings from the day were lovingly placed beside his lunch box and brought home with him.

Papi was quite proud when he showed me Twig's very first drawing of our family. I grinned, said how great it was and we went about our regular evening chores. A little later, as we all sat at the dinner table together and I actually had time to look at the photo, I felt very proud. I was struck by his drawing ability and how happy we all are. As I studied the drawing more closely I noticed a couple of extra lines and an extra shape.

Curious, I pointed and asked him to tell me what they were. During the study and line of questioning, Papi and I said to one another with our eyes "It's our kid's first family drawing! It's so cool - and really good! Look at our family - we're close together, smiling, there are ears and hair. This kid never ceases to amaze me!"

Imagine our pride as Twig explained that the extra lines were "My Penis", "Papi's Penis", and "What do girls have, again?"

Yeah, we stopped applying the medication immediately.

I also found some interesting reading on the subject.