Monday, December 08, 2008

More Three-year-old Musings

Not for the first time, my son has commented on the disparity in size between our penises. For example, yesterday, he said: "Yours is a really really big penis. It's huge! It's a really big one. [pause] I have a tiny penis." Sure, it's an amusing comment, maybe even funny, but it makes me a bit sad to hear him lament the size of his boyhood.

I try to reassure him. He will grow up and have a big one too. A big penis, with all it's attendant rights, privileges, and responsibilities is something to look forward to. Strangely, his comments always make me stop to consider circumcision.

Lots of men justify having their sons circumcised so that they will look "the same" as they do, or so the boy won't look "different." I suppose these dads don't want any uncomfortable questions about why they lack a foreskin. It my opinion, this is a red herring, because my son hasn't even noticed. He notices the difference in size and that's it.

When boys grow up, they can enjoy their big penises. Once they have had their foreskin cut off, they will never get it back.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

There's something only men/fathers experience. Can't say I ever looked at my mother as a child and wondered why her vagina was bigger, maybe hairier though.

Ah foreskin. I felt bad for my godson. A couple years ago when he was 9 or so he had to have it removed for medical reasons (tears/infection). That sucked for him. Made me think if I had a boy child I'd do it anyway, but I like your reasoning much better.

A said...

My boyfriend told me a story of when he was a child and took a shower with his father. He told me all about lamenting the size of his penis versus his father's.

As for circumcision, I think it's mutilation, and I don't understand why people do it to their sons when it's not necessary. I mean, you're cutting off a piece of the kid's penis!

Anonymous said...

I always thought that the excuse of a child asking his father about the difference was silly because I didn't think that father's and son's spent a lot of naked time together.

I just think it's a choice. If my son wants to have bits cut off his penis at some point in his life, he can make that decision. I didn't think it was mine to make.

Anonymous said...

Well, at least he didn't emerge from the restroom w/ his grandfather, as my friend's son did, and ask "Why is Grandpa's penis so much bigger than daddy's?" to a full room of their friends. (It was the father's father-in-law....)

zydeco fish said...

Now that is much funnier than my story.