Thoughts to Slumber on... Alone!

Unless you live under a rock you know that Michael Jackson was acquitted yesterday of all charges in connection with accusations that he molested a 13-year-old boy in 2003. I’m sure there are many boo’s, maybe a few cheers. But the bottom line is, in the eyes of the law he is innocent.

I can’t help but be disturbed by this. My husband always jokes that he’s glad we don’t have a daughter. I think its partly because he was once a teenage boy but also that society has publicized awful crimes against girls, shying away from the hideous crimes against boys. I truly believe that a girl is more likely to report a sexual crime to her parents far more then a boy. Whereas a son might be afraid his father might not believe him. Because society tells us things like that only happens to girls. And this terrifies me, because I have a boy, a pink color-hating, mommies have cooties boy.

All this has gotten me thinking, where do I stand on slumber parties. A few months ago Bobby and I had a late night out and Nicholas’ best friends’ mom invited him just to stay over, more out of consideration for us. It still bothers me that I said naw, we’ll just skip dessert after the movie and pick him up. Was I worried that a couple of six-year-olds were going to play doctor? No. but eight-year-olds might. So what’s the cut off?

The neighborhood was all a buzz this prom season because it seemed that all the “in” seniors were invited to a co-head slumber party, sponsored by I think like the quarter back’s parents or something. All I’m thinking is man, I wish we had that in high school. It’d sure saved us money on prom night hotel rooms. I can’t help but wondered if they had condoms for party favors. Sadly I’m dead serious. Think about it, if you’re hosting a slumber party for ten couples on “the most romantic night of their lives” wouldn’t you at least want to know they were being save? What? Hosting a co-ed slumber party is perfectly normal but supplying rubbers is just a little too embarrassing?

So Michael Jackson is innocent, that’s great. But I can’t let go of the fact that the bottom-line, there’s no denying it, he enjoys sharing a bed with boys. Even if he spray paints a line down the bed and never crosses it during the night, I would still find it inappropriate. As much as I hate it, kids will inevitably make choices, some good, some bad. But I think it’s my job as Nicholas’ mom to warn him in the future of the consequences of the average teenage temptations, and to protect him from things that are beyond the norm… for instance… Grown men fascinated with young boys.