Boys will be Boys

I have 7 and 9 year old boys at home who do the most typical boy things, Cam my 7 year old informed us that he wishes to have a pet snake. We have held off our decision until Sept. citing that we won't have time to research and look after a snake during our busy summer.(I thought that was a good stalling tactic)
Yesterday was typical.... the boys, Brad 9 and Cam were playing ninja-kick-crazy-ultimate-whatever, when I suddenly heard that knowing blood-curdling *I'm Dying* scream! Of course I didn't jump up right away because that scream usually appears daily in our house. Eventually Brad came to the living room hiccoughing, and sat gingerly onto the sofa, and said to me "Mom, we were playing kicking and Cam just kicked me in the privates and it REALLY hurts, where are my kidneys?" To which I replied very seriously, " Well hon your kidneys are here (and pointed to where kidneys were located) so you don't need to worry about them, it's your testicals that were *knocked* and I'm sure that hurts alot." (Being a woman I wouldn't know what that felt like, but I thought I'd throw some sympathy his way.)Turning this into a possible teaching moment, I said, " do you know what your testicals are for, have you learned about it in health class?" He said he hadn't and asked what they were for. So I told him they held the sperm-seeds that would make babies..... to which his little chin quivered and he said sadly " I.... think...(sniff)... I (sniff) just..... lost.... one."
Soooo to make it better I said that the seeds don't form 'til he's a little older and he didn't lose one, asked him if he needed some ice, and told him to take it easy for a while. Well then out comes the culprit.... after listening to the discussion, and was crying his heart out. I asked him what was wrong and he replied "now I've hurt Brad forever, and your, gonna ground me for a year and ya won't let me have my pet snake." I told him he wasn't grounded for a year, and I really wished they would stop "playing-kicking" games, and he needed to take it easy for a while too. And that of course allowed me to have a little peace for a little while too.
Until next time........