A Glimmer of Hope

Sometimes you catch a glimpse of who your kids really are, and it doesn't make you run from the house in horror. On the contrary you think, "My God what a great kid." You begin to dream in a far off fantasy kind of way of way of reasonable conversations and even tempers.

A couple of nights ago I had just such an experience with Chloe. Now, since then, about twelve things have happened that have made me press my head to the kitchen counter and almost surrender the battle, but for that one fleeting moment I saw her in her most pure form.

I always hope and dream that buried beneath all that attitude and drama there lies the kindest of all people. That when it really counts man she will actually... wait for it... small drum roll...DO THE RIGHT THING! I know it seems hard to believe that the same kid who called her sister a poopy head at dinner and threw herself backwards onto the couch screaming , "NO!" in dramatic fashion at the words, "OK it is time for bath." could be this, but I tell you it is true.

Two days ago Chloe came home and mentioned that each morning her class goes over the calendar. She said that in two days it was Kyle's birthday. She headed up to her room and said, "I have been saving up some things for him." Back in kindergarten her teacher had a prize box the kids got to pick from. Chloe selected some Pokemon cards for a few weeks. I was surprised at the time because as far as I knew she knew nothing about them. She pulled them out of her treasure pile on top of her dresser and said she was giving them to Kyle because he really liked Pokemon. She also gathered up one of her toy alligators, and dug some wrapping paper out of the office closet and wrapped it all up herself. She then got to work on making him a card. She spent about 45 minutes cutting and decorating pop out parts for his card. Then put everything in her backpack to take to school.

I should mention that this little boy and Chloe had a rough start in kindergarten. They locked heads, so to speak, early in the year, but did eventually work through it- mostly. While Chloe was working on her card I was making dinner and she told me that she wanted to make sure Kyle felt special since it was his birthday. She was worried because she didn't think Kyle had a very nice mommy. When I asked why she didn't think his mommy was nice she said, "I saw her with him one morning and she didn't seem very nice." Now I did tell her that maybe she didn't know the whole story and maybe he was being unsafe or naughty. But in her mind she is convinced that he needed extra attention. To be fair I really don't know what she saw since I wasn't there. I do know that she was worried that he wouldn't have a mommy to give him a nice birthday, and that she wanted to make sure he had one. For that I will hold out my glimmer of hope that some of the lessons I teach in life are actually sinking in.