bless his heart

I've talked a bit about my son, Mic. As I've said before, he has the gentlest spirit, the kindest heart and is just an all around 'good kid'. Bragging: he was reading when he was only four years old... and I mean *reading*... at four... not 'almost five'... he was only four. He has a special kind of wit about him... a wit uncommon to most kindergartners I have known. He has this way of just coming up with stuff that leaves us scratching our heads and saying, "He did *not* just say that!". To put it simply, he's just enjoyable.

Mic is a boy. My only boy. And he has the tendency to be a boy... ornery and mischievous. Sometimes, this gets him into trouble, both at home and at school. Home is easy... he does something he shouldn't, as all kids are bound to, we deal with it, try to teach a lesson or two, and move on. School is a little different, however. We have no control over the consequences he must face when he gets in trouble at school. Mic is having a hard time understanding that.

He got in trouble today, at the end of the day. So, this behavior will have to be addressed tomorrow. I should say here, that he has a wonderful teacher... she's, as she says, 'got his number'... and we totally support the way she handles our son. Communication is great with the school, from the principal to the aide in the classroom. Absolutely no complaints. So, he will have to pay a visit to the Principal's office tomorrow.

Uh-oh. He's not taking that too well. I talked with him about consequences and actions and choices. We always try to give our kids choices. We try to guide them to make the right choices, at the same time, realizing that they will mess up... that's their job... and it's our job to teach them. So, I talked with him about making choices that aren't so wise and having to take the consequence, that the consequence for today's incident will be decided by his principal. At this point, Mic seems to think that I have some sort of say in the matter, begging me to give him 'one more chance'.

Here's where it gets tough... I'm a self-proclaimed "softy" when it comes to my son. I admit it... and I'm not ashamed. With tears streaming down his little terrified face, he tells me, in between sobs, that he "can't be a strong boy tomorrow. I don't want to take my 'sequence' " (by the way... this was just off the 'cute factor' scale - he was trying to sound so grown-up, saying 'consequence'). Oh, no... heart... breaking... can't... take... it... somebody... make... him... stop!

So, I stress to him that this is happening because of the bad choice he made today, that he actually doesn't have a choice tomorrow. He must go to the principal and face the music. He is absolutely crumbling. Then... he did it... curls up into the fetal position... still crying... and he says, "I'm so stupid!" "No, Mic, *you* are not stupid... what you did wasn't very smart, though" He should have come with a warning label... *WILL MAKE YOUR HEART MELT WHEN SAD* He's that good, I tell ya!

So, he fell asleep sobbing (more heart-breaking)... after telling me that he just doesn't want to go to school at all tomorrow.

His birthday party is Saturday. I tried to tell him to just get through tomorrow, take whatever he must... be strong... then, when tomorrow is over, he has Saturday to look forward to. He didn't buy it.

So, if ya think about it... say a prayer, send a vibe, chant a mantra... whatever your flavor, if this post pops into your head at anytime during the day Friday. Cross your fingers that he (and I, for that matter!) gets through it unscathed.