KEEP OUT!

I didn't think we would start this already but the other day Kaden locked me out.  Now since he has no lock on his bedroom door he made a tent out of his bed and went to the effort to make a sign.  It started like this - Kaden was invited to Legoland by a friend and I told the mom I would ask him and call her back.  I asked Kaden and he said he wanted to go.  I called the mom back and said yes.  As soon as I got off the phone Kaden started to melt down.  He remembered that he had a pizza party at school tomorrow and a fun PE planned and he would have to miss all of it to go to Legoland.  It doesn't seem like it would be that hard of a decision but it was very tough for Kaden.  He felt like he would let one school friend down if he wasn't there for PE and the pizza party and the other friend down if he didn't go to Legoland.  I told him that he made a commitment to go to Legoland and we couldn't go back on that.  He was not happy.  He cried and begged me to change my mind.  I wasn't going to budge and so went back and made himself a little tent and a sign and put himself to bed.  I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt my heart a little when I walked into his room but I also knew I had to capture that moment for him so he can always have it.  It will give us a good laugh someday.  The next day after Legoland I asked him if he wished he had stayed home and gone to school and he said no Legoland was the best day ever.  As much as I wanted to say I told you so I refrained and hugged him and told him how glad I was that he went.  I know that this is the start of a few tweenager and teenager challenges down the road and I will look back and smile on the KEEP OUT sign and wish for the good old days.  Or I could just hope that my kids will all be perfect and never cause me an ounce of problems.......Here's to hoping.