honesty lessons, bedtime talks and memories

Last night, after the ordeal which is 'getting ready for bedtime', was over; we three snuggled in Ben's bed quietly talking. We'd had a tough moment or two earlier due to an unfortunate choice one little boy decided to make: to bald-face lie to his Daddy. He thought he'd be able to get away with something by lying. Not a good choice at all.
So, we're snuggled and talking afterward when I ask Ben if he would like for me to come eat lunch with him tomorrow at school. He said, " yes" then, "Daddy, can you come too?"

Well, because Daddy has been out of town for a couple of days, he's a little backed-up at work; so, even though he would love to, he explained he wouldn't be able to come. But, maybe next week he would. Now, a little background here. A few months ago, when Ben was in the summer program at his preK, one of the field trips that his class took was to the Georgia
Aquarium. (I thought I'd written about it, but I looked back over my old posts and couldn't find it - so, you'll just have to go along with me here)

I really, really, really wanted to be able to go with him, but I told him there was no way I could because I was scheduled to work that day. With the absolutely fabulous way things have been at work, I figured there was no way I'd be able to get off on such late notice. Oh, and my thoughts that maybe I would just call out sick so I could go didn't really fit in with the 'raising an honest child" plan that we're working on; so, off to work I go. I just quietly fumed and felt sorry for myself. As I tend to do.
Well, I moped about at work, making sure that everybody saw just how miserable I was - yeah, I was a joy to behold. Finally, after telling my story to a couple of my friends and getting the sympathy I so badly wanted; one of them told me to get up off my butt and go ask if I could leave - explaining why I wanted to so badly.

Hm. Well. Ok, so I did. I came clean. I explained all the above and y'know what? I got to go! I called his teacher and asked if it was too late to go, and nope, they were just about to board the bus. So, I gathered my stuff and walked out to go meet my baby at the Aquarium. I'd told his teacher not to tell Ben I was coming, as I wanted to surprise him. And I did. And he was absolutely thrilled. And so was I.

Now, back to the story at hand. So, he'd asked his Daddy if he could come to eat too, remember? Ok, so we're back on track. Well, when Daddy explained that he couldn't - Ben said, 'you could just tell your friends at work that you want to come - like Mommy did when we went to the Aquarium'.

He remembered! He remembered that I'd told him how I'd asked if I could leave and they let me! My heart. Oh, my heart. The little things that make such a big impression.....I'm so thankful I was able to go that day and it meant so much to him.

So, now, I'm going to get up off my butt and get cleaned up - I have a lunch date with my little boy. Because it's the little things that mean so much.

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