An Anecdote

A few months ago, we had friends from church over for a playdate. They have three kids - a boy about the age of my eldest (one year behind), a girl a year behind that, and then another girl who's the same age as the youngest. All three, along with mom, came to play. The kids were in and out -- running from the backyard down to the climbing wall (and toys) in the playroom and back again. After about an hour, middle girl runs upstairs, "Mom! Mom! (Eldest boy) touched my butt!"

Other Mom stands half-way to her feet, her face dark, "Oh. No no no. That's a big no go zone for us."

Me, utterly confused because that's so incredibly out of what elder boy would do that I can't quite wrap my head around it, "(Elder boy)! Come up here for a moment please."

EB dashing into the room, "Yeah?"

Me: Did you touch middle girl's butt?

EB looking like I just asked him if he frequents a school on the dark side of the moon: No. Why would I do that?

Me: I don't know, she says you did.

EB, frowning in concentration: Well, she was on the bar that connects the two climbing walls and I had to squeeze past her to get to the legos where her older brother was playing. Maybe I did it then?

Me: Make sure you pay more attention to where you are and what you're touching.

Other Mom does not seem happy with this solution, but says nothing. And they haven't returned for a playdate since.

And you know what? In 30 years, if middle girl decides to ruin my older boy's life? She could totally get away with it because of something like this that was 100% innocent, because that's the kind of world apparently the metoo generation wants.

It's ridiculous and terrifying.