ALWAYS listen to your children

Story #1

When it comes time to going to sleep, Cameron likes to stall. When I put him to bed, we usually talk about our favorite part of the day, say prayers, gives hugs and kisses, and I leave the room. But lately, as I’m walking out of his room, he’ll ask me insignificant questions that he just HAS to know the answer to. Like, “How many family does daddy have in Detroit?” “Why did Max get to watch three shows today and I only got to watch two?” “How many days until my birthday?”

It has gotten so ridiculous, that I’ve gotten to the point where I just ignore him. But he persists. “Please, please, please I have to just tell you one more thing!” I usually relent and listen. But once I’m out his door, my ears are shut. Sometimes when he’s not that tired, he’ll toss and turn in his bed and often make his way into the hallway, calling to me with another question or comment he just HAS to tell me.

This causes two problems. 1. He’s not going to sleep, which means he’ll be cranky the next morning. 2. His yelling down to me can very easily wake up Max…a BIG no-no in our house. So lately when he comes out of his room with some “urgent” news, I don’t respond with much patience. And such was the case the other night.

"Mommy, I have something to tell you!"
“I don’t care what you have to say, Cameron. Go back in your room.”
“But it’s important!”
“No it’s not. Go to bed! And if you wake up Max you’re in big trouble.”
"But Mom!"
"I don't want to hear it! This is getting ridiculous. Go to bed or you get no TV tomorrow!"

Story #2

I lose things...all the time....I just can't remember where I put them. I can remember every teacher's name I ever had; I can remember what I wore on my first day of high school; I can remember my first (and only) dance recital when I was four years old. But I can't tell you where I put my keys, where my glasses are, etc. Sometimes I'm amazed that I haven't lost my kids (not yet anyhow).

This past week I lost my check card. And I remember being in the car and saying to myself, "Cari, you should put this away, or you know you'll lose it." That's the last I recall of my card. I looked in the usual (or unusual) places where it it could have been...my jeans pockets, my coat pockets, the diaper bag, in between my car seats, in my drawers, in the pantry, etc. But it was no where to be seen. After a couple days of looking, I decided it was gone forever, and I cancelled it and ordered a new one (which would take a week to arrive in the mail).

However, just the other night, when Melvin was in Cameron's room, he opened one of his drawers and what did he find? Well my bright yellow check card, of course!

When he questioned Cameron about why it was there and why he didn't tell me....Refer back to the end of Story #1.