Mothers have to stick together

Some people can sit outside, get some sun, sport a golden tan, and live their lives. Others simply step outside, burn to a crisp, peel and go back to looking like they’ve never seen a sunny day in their lives. Sean and Amy are in the first group. Michael, Rebecca and I are in the lobster category.

So, when Michael had a work trip to the Dominican Republic two weeks ago, I was very concerned about him burning. Yes, I know he’s 23 and living on his own – he was going on a business trip! – but still. The boy does not like sunscreen. And he does not actually think he burns. Seriously. It’s like in the peeling process a little bit of his memory peels away with the flaky skin and he has no recollection that every single time he goes to the beach he burns within an inch of his life. 

This is the text he sent me and Andi, his fiancé*,  after we both reminded him about using sunscreen:

No. We didn’t believe him.

After he’d been there a couple of days, a few of the women he’d been teaching in his training sessions approached him with concerned looks. They said they had sons his age and wondered if they might help him with his sunscreen application. Because it appeared he was getting burned.

Y’all. If that is not the Greater Motherhood coming together, I don’t know what is.

He told them he was sure his mom would appreciate their help and actually allowed them to help him. He allowed complete strangers to put sunscreen on him!

He called us that night to tell me about the helpful moms in his group because he was sure I’d be pleased they wanted to help him. Oh, I was! And I sent him a text to show the moms:

Unfortunately, their help came at the end of the week, and the damage was done. But at least now I have photographic evidence that the boy does not tan. He does, in fact, burn. And he looks just like a lobster.

*More to come on this development.