It was 36 degrees outside this morning when I dropped my
daughter off at the school bus.
Without a coat.
Or gloves.
I was choosing my battles.
As I pulled my coat out of the closet, I asked her again,
“Sure you don’t want to wear a coat?”
“No, I’m good,” she replied, as if we were talking about the
weather.
Oh, wait, we were. I suggested she open the front door and
step outside. As she did, I followed. I shivered, but she was undeterred.
“Won’t you be cold on the bus?” I asked.
She reminded me she was wearing a Columbia fleece jacket
over a t-shirt, and that the heat in the bus would be “blasting.”
She said she would be fine, but added, “Now, if you get a
call from the school because I’m purple, then you can say ‘I told you so.’”
Um, okay. I didn’t bother to tell her that if I got that
call, I wasn’t bringing her a coat. Because, really, does the school even call
for things like that?
The possibility scrolled through my head.
“Mrs. Rath? This is the school calling. Your daughter is
purple from being cold.”
“Thank you for calling. Please tell her, ‘I told you so.’”
Although I liked the sound of that conversation, it seemed
unlikely, so I moved on.
“How about gloves?” I asked. Just gloves with no coat—that’s
cool, right?
She didn’t go for it. So, with my coat zipped up, I headed
out to the car…with my coat-less, glove-less daughter.
Did I mention she was also wearing capris?
I didn’t even go there. Because, well, she looked cute in
her capris, Columbia jacket, and white tennis shoes.
So, I drove her to the school bus reminding myself that sometimes
you just have to let these “mom things” go. Her time outside would be limited,
and I wasn’t going to worry about it.
As we approached the bus, I asked, “Pull up to the bus, or
around the corner?”
“Pull up to the bus. Then I don’t have to walk as far in the
cold.”
Uh huh. Good idea.
In Christ,
Linking up with Soli Deo Gloria, Sharing His Beauty, Winsome Wednesday, #TellHisStory, WholeHearted Wednesdays
Seriously, this post gave me a much needed smile tonight, Laura. Thanks and you are so right. There really are bigger fish to fry...
ReplyDeleteLaughing at the end! Yep, choosing your battleground is good wisdom.
ReplyDeleteDear Laura
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong to strecth boundaries just s bit as long as you have your's intact as well. I have boys and they can stretch boundaries until it it as thin as a spider's web with usually me giving in all the time for the not so important issues. But important ones like showing respect, not gossiping, helping elderly, treating other kids kindly and so forth, were punishable in my house with a good dose of cleaning the behind with rid. But, they were so clever, they would then wear two underpants and line the inside one with cotton wool! And the oldest told the youngest to try out screaming a litlle pig after the firt hiding then I might feel sorry for them!!
Blessings XX
Mia
Hilarious! Yep, sometimes we have to let them learn the hard way. I admire your determination in not nagging her and in deciding beforehand that you wouldn't bring her a coat even if the school called! Often we try to protect our kids too much when the actual lesson will teach them more than we ever could with our words.
ReplyDeleteI love your daughter's last comment...."so I don't have to walk as far in the cold." In reality, she was cold, but that 'ole independence she's wanting is overriding being cold. We definitely have to pick and choose our battles with our kids. This is one she most likely won't repeat, especially as it gets colder out!
ReplyDeleteBlessing, Ann
http://christintheclouds.blogspot.com/
Made me smile. I'm a big fan of choosing our battles. Raised 2 to adulthood and neither froze to death.
ReplyDeleteLOL! This post made me laugh, Laura! Been there...done that, you know? May I ask how old your daughter is? She sounds like a pre-teen or around 13...am I right? I think you handled it perfectly. Sometimes we just have to drop the Mom thing and let our kids learn on their own...and they will - guaranteed!
ReplyDeleteLoved this post, Laura. Made me smile. Brought back memories.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest is getting married next month, and I am entering a new phase of letting some *Mom things* go. Learning how to evolve into a *new* relationship with my son, who is now also going to be a husband. The Lord has been so very good - my future daughter-in-law and I get along great and love spending time together. It's made the letting go easier.
Do you think they'd mind if I still told them once in awhile to put on a coat?
GOD BLESS!
This definitely gave me a smile. Made me think of my nephew, who has a weird way of dressing during the colder weather.
ReplyDeleteI had to snicker as I read your daughter's statement about pulling up to the bus!! LOL!! I've been there and my children have taught me well about those boundaries that are not eternal in nature. My oldest son taught all the rest how to dress in winter, LOL!!
ReplyDelete