Peter Pan and Growing Up

Not the best quality pic, but a screen shot of
of Disney's Peter Pan, taken of the TV while Luke
and I watched.

My 11-year-old, Luke, had to read Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie for his 6th grade English class.  I was really only semi-aware of this fact.  (Thankfully, Luke is a kid who just "takes care of business" as far as school work.)  Then one unusual weekend night, when only he and I were home.  He came into my bedroom where I was sitting in the recliner watching some mindless show on TV and messing with my phone and said he wanted to watch a movie.  "OK," I mumbled. 

Then he asked, "Where's Peter Pan?"  We own all the Disney movies, but seldom do my kids watch them on a regular basis anymore.  He then announced that he wanted to watch Peter Pan and compare it to the book.  He wisely stated, "The Disney version is a lot different from the book."  I found him the movie and went back to wasting time. 

He then asked, "Mom, can I watch it in your room?" 

I thought that was strange.  I said, "I think you'd enjoy it more downstairs on the big screen with the surround sound." (This was one of the FEW times when he would have no competition for the best TV in the house.) 

 

He then said, "Well, do you want to watch it WITH me?"  I still didn't take the hint.  But after he got it all "set up" (complete with pillows, blankets, and snacks) and again invited me, I realized that my big, tough, 11-year-old football-playing boy wanted to watch a movie (An animated Disney movie no-less) with his mother, so there I sat with him, while he shared his hot Cheetos and hot tamales (quite generous for someone who loves them as much as he does) and gave me a "play by play" on the differences between the book and the movie.  After the treats ran out, he snuggled up to me and began to play with my hair.  (When he was a baby he would play with my hair while he sucked his thumb.  The thumb-sucking is gone, but occasionally, he still fingers my hair.)  And I relished every minute of it.  Coincidentally,  (or maybe not) Peter Pan's whole goal is to "never grow up."  So there I sat next to my "baby," who is no longer a "baby", listening to Peter Pan say "I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up! Not me!” And wishing that my "baby" might never grow up  (or at least grow up MUCH slower than he is.)  But for those few moments (77 minutes to be exact) I got to enjoy the fantasy of Neverland where my baby will always be my baby....

and.....if you remember.....all Peter Pan really wanted after all was a mother.

 

I really hate that this is the SECOND time I am posting this unattractive picture of me on this blog, but it shows exactly how Luke loved to finger my hair while sucking his thumb.  (*And, disclaimer-I really DID read my kids good-quality literature-I actually HATE books like the one I'm reading here.  You know those books based on kids pop-culture.  But unfortunately we own some and the kids liked them, and of course that's what I happened to be reading when this pic was snapped.)