Take Note:

Four year-olds DO listen to EVERY word! On the way to preschool this morning, I was all excited about starting my new volunteer position at the Community Care Center. So, I started talking to Jack about it. I said "today, Mommy is going to work at a doctor's office while you are at school!". Evidently, all Jack heard was the word "work". In our house, Daddy is the only one who "works". God only knows what really went on his head, but the result was not pretty. He firmly stated that I could not "work" today and that he was not going to school. He wanted to be with me. I then collected my brain cells and explained that I was not really going to work, rather that I would just be helping at the doctor's office and would be back to pick him up just like always. No explanation in the world was going to satisfy him. Poor Ms. Donna had to PULL him out of the car. I had to pry his fingers off the headrest so she could carry him screaming into school.

I know I sound like the world's worst mommy (for so many different reasons), but I knew in my heart that he was in good hands and would be just fine when he got to his room. I called the preschool as soon as I got to CCC to check on him. Ms. Donna said that he was fine. His teacher had heard him screaming in the hallway and ran to get him. She said that he seemed more mad than anything and kept asking for Mommy. He also just wanted to be held for a few minutes. When he had calmed down, he jumped off of her lap and went to play with his friends.

Needless to say, I picked him up a little early and we had a long talk. A big lesson was learned today. This time, it was ME who learned the lesson. Don't use the phrase "going to work" lightly. For children who stay at home with their mommies, those are bad and scary words. I also learned that children listen to EVERYTHING! They may not acknowledge what is said, but they DO hear EVERYTHING.