A Little Story
It had been a very bad day for the little guy. He'd made a choice to go to a friend's house without telling anyone else. Somehow, the mother of the other child didn't think to inform anyone either. After waiting at the school for 45 minutes, the carpool mom who was supposed to pick him up, had called the boy's mother to inform her, he was nowhere to be seen.
There was a mad scramble to figure it out. Eventually the boy was found at the other friend's house. His friend's mom scolded him for being so irresponsible. He had scared everyone. The scolding may have been a light one, but in the boy's eyes, it was a difficult punishment to bear. He hadn't meant anything by it. Fear hadn't entered into his equation at all. He knew where he was. He thought that made him safe. He wished he'd never done it, that he could leave his friend's house and retreat to the safety of his own home, but there was nothing to do, but wait for his mom to come and pick him up.
When she arrived, she saw how miserable he looked. She herself had had a similar experience when she was young. A moment of childish irresponsibility. She remembered the abject fear that had enveloped her when the adult scolding took place; how she had actually seen black before her eyes and thought she was going to faint.
Still, the incident had to be talked about. In the calmest and kindest language she knew how to use, she talked with the boy about how this had been a hard lesson for him (he agreed); how important it was to let the car pool mom know about a change of plan (he hadn't thought of that); how this was something that was painful, but he probably would never have to deal with this lesson again (he was relieved).
Then there was silence for a bit. Looking out the window, with the trace of a tear still on his face, the boy commented. "You know what the best thing about your worst day is Mom?". "What hon?" she replied. "That tomorrow can always be better."
There was a mad scramble to figure it out. Eventually the boy was found at the other friend's house. His friend's mom scolded him for being so irresponsible. He had scared everyone. The scolding may have been a light one, but in the boy's eyes, it was a difficult punishment to bear. He hadn't meant anything by it. Fear hadn't entered into his equation at all. He knew where he was. He thought that made him safe. He wished he'd never done it, that he could leave his friend's house and retreat to the safety of his own home, but there was nothing to do, but wait for his mom to come and pick him up.
When she arrived, she saw how miserable he looked. She herself had had a similar experience when she was young. A moment of childish irresponsibility. She remembered the abject fear that had enveloped her when the adult scolding took place; how she had actually seen black before her eyes and thought she was going to faint.
Still, the incident had to be talked about. In the calmest and kindest language she knew how to use, she talked with the boy about how this had been a hard lesson for him (he agreed); how important it was to let the car pool mom know about a change of plan (he hadn't thought of that); how this was something that was painful, but he probably would never have to deal with this lesson again (he was relieved).
Then there was silence for a bit. Looking out the window, with the trace of a tear still on his face, the boy commented. "You know what the best thing about your worst day is Mom?". "What hon?" she replied. "That tomorrow can always be better."
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