Favorite Toy Friday

     My bedroom this morning was very dark, the pillows and blankets were all in the perfect places to completely discourage movement and attempting to wake me more than I was. My alarm clock on my phone had sounded twice, indicating that I was going to have another rushed morning, but that was not enough motivation to move me from my cocoon of resting bliss. Narrow beams of gold came cutting through the black, shining narrow trails of illumination across my bedroom leading to small cracks in the blinds about the window.

     I feel a small hand reach up and start patting the bed, and then my foot, feeling around for my legs so he doesn't hurt me as he climbs into bed. Corbin is awake, and has learned that if he is quiet, he can come get a morning snuggle before school. While disrupting my morning drift, in and out of consciousness slightly, he quickly joined me in a similar state. As the time stealthily moved quicker than we could realize, my third alarm rang announcing that those who haven't moved from the pillow were about to be not only rushed, but very late. Corbin was now as difficult to motivate out of bed as I was. I need only remind him that today was "Favorite Toy Friday" and he bolted out of my bed to get ready for school so he can bring in his favorite toy.

    Throughout the morning, the gentle reminder that "It's Favorite Toy Friday" was all that need be spoken to help him speak politely, quit playing with toys and eat breakfast. We listened to The Adventure's of Alice in Wonderland on Audible as we drove to school, I walked the kids in the building then onto their classrooms when half way down the hall Corbin remembered that his favorite toy was never put in his back-pack. We stopped so he could speedily, and fruitlessly check the contents of his Kylo Ren back pack, under his jacket, behind his R2-D2 lunch bag, desperately looking for a favorite toy that was never put there. And in a moment, he devised an alternative plan that involved borrowing a toy from the preschool teacher who, though in the building, didn't have students today. And then confidently walked ahead of me to his class. I was sad he forgot his toy, and was planning to go home and find it, but was also proud that he demonstrated that independence and resolve to still have a successful Favorite Toy Friday, even without his favorite toy. I'm still sad that he was so excited to bring a toy to school that he ultimately forgot, but am still surprised by his decision, his sister would have been inconsolable for at least three hours.

    I would like to take some credit for teaching him to be positive in sad situations, I wish I could proudly say that he was able to so confidently move ahead in all optimism, having made a good choice because of years of pre-teaching, modeling from me and his mother, and being forced to live with the consequences, good or bad, of his actions. I would like to be the dad who can say, "Look what I taught him", but I can't. Don't get me wrong, we have had those conversations, we have made him live with the consequences of his actions. but on this morning I was totally prepared to run home and find the toy he was so elated to show his peers, and enable his forgetfulness and impulsiveness further. Today, my son showed me that he is capable, that he can create a new plan, and lead. Today, my son showed me his character. He may still end up standing on a table while the teacher is giving a lesson today, he will likely spill some food or chocolate drink over him and possibly whoever is unfortunate enough to be near him when it happens, but he showed me today, a measure of responsibility and leadership that I wasn't expecting to see from my 5 year old and I'm the happiest dad in town.