Whenever my wife has to work a morning shift, I go in to work late so I can take the boys to school. I don’t look forward to these mornings for many reasons. For one thing, I am using up my vacation time on something that is anything but a vacation. Also, none of the men in our household are famous for being morning people. The most infamous non-morning person is Big Brother.
It can be quite a struggle to get this sleepy 2nd grader out of bed and into his morning routine. But the last time this duty fell to me, he woke up by himself at the same time I did. This was a pleasant surprise, and it was only the beginning of his pleasantness.
As I was showering, a young voice was directed at me from beyond the shower curtain. “Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“I think I’ve done all my responsibilities. I got dressed and brushed my teeth. I made my bed and I got out the ingredients for toast.”
Sorry, Soft ‘N Good bear. You’re about to be toast.
Dressing, brushing his teeth, and making his bed are all elements of the morning routine expected of him, but, to my knowledge, he has not been asked to help make toast. That he made his bed without being reminded was a good start, but getting out the ingredients for toast proved he was reaching above and beyond. He was spreading helpfulness around like sweet frosting on the cake of good behavior.
It was obvious which cake he was trying to frost. Since he woke up early, he figured why not try to get some screen time in before school. And what better way to get permission to play than to act like you’ve earned it?
“So, can I play on the Kindle?” he asked.
Just the fact that I didn’t have to drag him out of bed made it worth letting him play, but I wasn’t going to act like a total pushover. “Did you turn off your fan?” Everyone loves the white noise at night.
His answer was to leave the bathroom. Ten seconds later, he was back. “I turned off the fan. So can I play?”
“Okay. But just until your toast is ready.”
“I’m not making the toast,” he clarified. “I just got out the ingredients to make it, except the butter. I couldn’t find any butter.”
So, in other words, he got out the bread. But he couldn’t just say he got out the bread. It sounds much more impressive when you get out the ingredients to make toast, all of them except for one.
Sometimes you’ve got to open two refrigerator doors to find precious butter.
Usually, I prefer an economy of words, but I’m glad he chose to get out the ingredients for toast, minus the butter, rather than just getting out the bread. It tickled me, which probably made me more likely to let him play on the Kindle.
But then I bet he had taken all that into consideration already.
Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s hoping you find all the ingredients for your Turkey Day toast.
Snoozing on the Sofa 
Love, love, love. Thanks for the smile.
Thanks for smiling.
This is the sweetest. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you. I would say the same to you, but I think you had your Thanksgiving last month. Well, have a happy November 26th anyway.
I love this and think I will start using your son’s phrase when I “get out the ingredients for toast”. 🙂
Thanks, and good luck finding the butter.
Ha! Well technically the butter is just a topping and not an actual required ingredient for the simple making of toast. I am lucky in that our butter is kept on the door of the fridge, a section that does not require an additional door or flap opening.
Ours is too, until a new stick is required; then it gets complicated.
I love this! 🙂 (Did he get out the toaster?)
He did not. He was focused like a laser on ingredients.
Sounds like Big Brother is prepping for a life in politics. Have a great turkey day.
He’s already deep into sibling politics, so it may plan out that way.
They are so good at schmoozing…Ha! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. 🙂 Now pass me some turkey over here in Canada!
I’ll take schmoozing over whining any day. You like drumsticks?
I get that! I’m a white meat person..
The white meat’s all gone by now. Sorry.
Well huff..pft…
Wow he knows where the bread is kept! Your kid is a genius, Dude who is 15, still doesn’t know. Einstein has competition. Let him play on that Kindle. As a matter of fact give him too. And a day of school which is an obvious waste of time for a great mind like his.
He takes after his mother, right?
Yeah, his mother knows where the bread is kept too, so he probably does take after her. Good thinking.
The bread is kept in a secret compartment in our house with the combination only known to the ladies of the house. I’ve heard them talking, they call this compartment the breadbin.
You should trade it in for a breadbox; those are open to all.
Oh. Interesting….
Waht a great story!!! And yes we had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year, Scott!! I”m sure you had one too!!! Thank you for sharing your life with us. I adore these stories!!! ❤
Glad you had a great Thanksgiving, Amy. And happy you are getting into Autumn this year. It’s a wonderful season.
I’m psyched, Scott. I’ve not ever felt like this, but always giving into the sadness that my summer is gone. The crispness and the freshness of the air …. LOVE it!! It is invigorating and makes me tingle!!! LOL ❤