[blparent] Do you remember?

[Jo Elizabeth Pinto]

Do you all remember the first time one of your kids deliberately tried to sneak around and get away with something because you couldn’t see?  I guess it has happened before, but tonight was the first time it was really blatant, and it was shocking.  I guess it hit home in a big way, and I’m up in the middle of the night trying to settle down.  I’ll be okay, but I’m kind of shaken up.  Maybe I’m lucky it didn’t happen before now; my little angel is almost six.  We’ll all survive, the world won’t end, but wow.

I was working at my computer and didn’t hear her come downstairs.  She has to go back to school tomorrow after a long Christmas break.  She’s a little nervous, and I think she was finding it hard to sleep.  I couldn’t fault her for that.  The break has been too long, I believe, and she’s in all-day kindergarten.  She’s had some jitters about going bback and missing me.  I hope she’ll fall right into the routine and do fine.  So she crept down to get a toy while I was alone in the house, probably to help her sleep.  I actually would have let her get it if she’d just asked.  I thought I heard her come down, and my dog got restless and started pacing and wagging, so I was pretty sure she was in the room, but I wasn’t absolutely certain.  I could sense someone moving, but I called her name and she wouldn’t answer.  I got up and searched, and I could sense her moving, but I couldn’t quite hear if she was there or not.  She’ can be really quiet if she wants to be.  The dog was wagging and going crazy, so I was pretty sure the kid was there, but not quite sure enough to be comfortable, and she wouldn’t answer, so it was really starting to freak me out.  I said, “This game isn’t funny.  I’m not laughing.  I need to know if you’re there, I’m serious.”  No answer.  It was dumb, but I got overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do, and I started to cry because I was wrought up.  Stupid I know, but then she started to cry as welland came and hugged and kissed me.  I think it scared her, but it had scared me, too.  So we talked about how I didn’t know where she was, and how I felt, and how bad it felt to be teased, and she apologized.  She went back to bed.  I don’t think she’ll do it again because she didn’t like it that I was upset.  So I don’t think I’ll do anything else about it.  I wasn’t trying to manipulate her; she just saw how it made me feel.  Anyway, I was wondering if it was a common experience to anyone else.

Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.