Thursday, February 12, 2009

Never trust a five year old with a secret

Alternately titled: Hit em where it hurts

Alternately alternately titled: I'm gonna get real here

Not that I'm not always "real" with ya'all, it's just that I recently had a conversation with my friend (in real life) Meredith about blogging and how hard it is for me to share my life here and then my other friend (in blog life) Meredith went and posted this. I mean, I tell you all the funny stuff and every once in a while I tell you the junk (yep, I have junk), but I rarely go to deep here. It's because I have a wall. I have a wall in real life and I have a wall in blog life. And this wall keeps me from allowing people to get to close. I hate this wall. I want to be more transparent to everyone not just my few close friends. I'm working on breaking my wall down, but it's thick and tall and strong.................
and what is it with TWO different Meredith's bringing up the same subject within 24 hours of each other?

So my real confession:

I fed my five year old McDonald's today.
TWICE!
The first was an arranged hookup at lunch time, we met some friends there.
The second? Well perhaps it could be called poor planning?
Whatever it is, it happened.
Ben's birthday is on Saturday and I left the gift buying to the last couple of days because that is just how I operate. I woke up this morning feeling a bit under the weather and by later this afternoon it was apparent that I was not getting better, but am likely going to end up with the crud, so it became necessary to get my tail in gear and get the birthday stuff done while Ben was at his theatre classes tonight. So off Cooper and I went to the only mall in our area that has Lego store for one particular requested gift. A Lego key chain.
(Yes, I drove 30 minutes to go to the Lego store for a $5 Lego key chain).
After that Cooper and I ventured over to Toys R Us to pick up one more gift. I figured our timing was good in that spending a few more minutes shopping would enable us to miss the rush hour traffic getting home. Ummm, yeah, WRONG. We got back on the freeway headed North and pretty soon we were sitting. At a complete standstill. Oh and did I mention my gas light was on and had been on for about 10 miles? So as we approached another freeway that would take us by a Costco on the way home, I decided to jump on it so I could stop and get gas. Well, that freeway was backed up too. So there I sat at 7:15 pm on a backed up freeway with a very hungry five year old and an empty gas tank, oh and I'm getting sicker by the minute. So off the free way we go where I find the first drive thru and gas station that I can.
And that my friends is how I came to feed my five year old McD's TWICE in the same day.

Now about the secret. On the way home I had a very serious discussion with Cooper about not telling Ben what his gifts were. I told him that they were a surprise and that Ben would get to open them on Saturday, so he only needed to keep the secret for two days. Since Cooper only knows what the two gifts we picked up tonight are, I didn't think it would be that hard for him to keep them a secret for less than 48 hours. Wrong again. As soon as we walked in the door Cooper said "Dutter, me and mom got you a Lego key chain and I got one too."
I was fuming. I had just gone over with him in the car that we were going to tell Ben nothing!
I told him how sad I was that he told Ben, but he didn't seem at all remorseful. It then dawned on me that I needed to "hit em where it hurts" and that taking away his Lego key chain (I told him he couldn't have it until after Ben's b-day) would be the best punishment for his crime. When I told him that would be his punishment he started crying, sobbing actually. Very quietly, but huge, great big alligator tears.
I think he's remorseful now.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

First - I so hear you about sharing things on a blog. I share a lot, but there's SO MUCH that... well.. almost no one knows... just not sure I could ever put it on my blog.

I think you did the right thing. I know it's hard for kids but you did clearly explain your expectations.

Ahh... parenthood.

And McDonald's twice in a day... eh... not going to kill anyone.

Lee Ann said...

I'm so glad you're going to break down that wall!

Great discipline with the key chain. I've so got to get better at thinking on my feet for discipline that makes her remorseful.

As for the McD's twice in one day. I have no comment. Let me just say in this great big world, I'm pretty sure you're not alone.....and I could prove it. :-)

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

The McDonald's stuff...you're SO not alone. And your son was probably thrilled!

I get so mad when my kids tell each other what they're getting. Sorry 'bout that.

As for that wall...and realness...
I have no answers myself. I just know that it's something I'm wrestling with. How much to share? How much to keep in? I don't know...I'm still processing.

Thanks for opening up, Trish. Have a great weekend.

Elena said...

LOLLLL!!! Oh so funny. And it's only funny because I'm sure so many of us can relate. (Of course not me, because I would NEVER do such a thing. I'd be sure to atleast do McD's and then Burger King to spice things up. HA!) And yah, the wall thing. We're just keeping our hearts safe, that's all.

Gina said...

You want honesty?
I. Like. My. Wall.
Honest enough?
I really don't like random people all up in my business. Even if they think they belong there. I had this convo with someone recently. She said, "G, sometimes your personal circle is so big, that I just can't get close." Um, yeah. Sometimes I just don't want people close.
My IRL friend, Kelly, calls it the circle of trust- and not just anyone gets in there.

And I so would have taken away his key chain, too. And I would have gone to Jack in the Box.

Julie H said...

I'm a sap I probably would have given in on the key chain. Big tears get me everytime lol.

Blythe said...

Love the McDonald's story. I got to work a year or two ago (I'm a nanny) and the kids ran down the driveway to greet me with, "Blythe, GUESS WHAT! Yesterday we went to Pizza Hut AND Taco Bell!" Their dad followed along behind muttering, "Guys, that's not the kind of thing you TELL people..."

I was amused.

Dee said...

Well, hey, you are off to a great start of breaking down the walls... being authentic about the Mickey Dee thing! Good job.

I haven't done that one YET but I know I have had my kids eat out for lunch and dinner in one day. Cooking at home is over rated any ways. :0)

I hear ya on the secret thing. When I planned Alex's Surprise 30th, I wasn't sure I could tell Crystal. So we went to Target and bought him a gift, I went on and on about how this gift was a secret and not to tell Daddy. The moment we sat down at the dinner table together, Crystal just blurted it all out about buying him a tie! She was so excited, she just couldn't contain it.

Gramma 2 Many said...

Sometimes I wish I had a wall. You are most definitely your father's child.

Kris said...

"Dad! We got you a huge chess set for Christmas!"
Anybody remember that? The apple does'nt fall far or quietly!