Disappointments

Once a month Jacob has show-n-tell in Kindergarten! I have diligently written it on my calendar for each month so I won't forget. Well, today I forgot. I often hear moms complain about how by the time child #3 or #4 get busy in lots of activities they start forgetting things, like maybe show-n-tell. I'm only on child #1! How sad is that for me? Poor Jonah has no hope at all!

After I responsibly packed Jacob's fund-raiser packet into his backpack and dropped him off to school on time I was feeling pretty on top of things. Later in the morning I read my calendar and saw the note to myself for show-n-tell. I agonized for the rest of the morning. Will he be the only one without show-n-tell? Will he sit at his desk crying? How disappointed will he be in me for letting him down? I could run something down, but show-in-tell could already be over and I'm still in my pajamas! Is my pride more important?

Then I started thinking that it's okay for kids to have disappointing moments in their lives. It builds character, right? And how grateful I am that something as simple as forgetting show-n-tell is as hard as it gets for my son. He's not hungry, homeless, or scared like so many other children in this world.

As I went to pick up Jacob I braced myself for the worst. I imagined him running out to me sobbing out of embarrassment. Jacob walked out to me and he said he had the worst day ever . . . because he fell down at recess. "What? What about show-n-tell," I asked him! "I'm so sorry I forgot!" "It's okay, Mom. It was no big deal. Lots of kids didn't bring show-n-tell today. Their moms forgot too."

Whew! Crisis averted! If lots of other moms forgot too, maybe I'm in good company! I'm glad Jacob has some skills to deal with a little disappointment in his life.