Bum Pinching

When I was younger, if I was going up the stairs and my mom was behind me, she would pinch my bum. It wasn’t hard, but was playful. I have been forever scarred by it (I guess scarred is too strong a word, maybe remember painfully is more accurate). Now, as an adult, when I walk up the stairs and someone is behind me I have this dreadful feeling that they are going to pinch my bum. I feel the need to run as fast as I can up those stairs and cover my behind. To be honest, my mom probably only did it half a dozen times, at the most, but it always comes to mind when I am being followed up the stairs. It’s irrational and silly, I know, but that dreaded feeling of a little pinch is still there.

The other day I was walking up the stairs behind my 5 year old daughter. Without any thought of what I was doing, my hand reached out and pinched my daughter’s bum. It was like I had no control over my own limbs. 'E' squealed and ran up the stairs yelling, “Mom! Don’t pinch me!” The next time I was walking behind her on the stairs I had the most incredible urge to pinch her bum again! Where did this come from? Is pinching your children’s bums a built in mommy mechanism? Why would I want to do that? I had a horrible time resisting that urge to pinch her bum. I mustn’t scar her like I was scarred! But now I understand. My mom couldn’t help it. It was a built in reflex that really she had no control over.  Still, understanding does not make that terrifying feeling of “just about to be pinched”  disappear, for I still cover my bum when I walk up the stairs.