'I can't go to my activity tonight, Mum. My tummy hurts...' This from Boy #2 who, bless him, was exhausted after an afternoon of PE and who understandably didn't relish the prospect of spending an hour racing around the gym doing a martial art.
I was tempted to let him stay home, but then remembered that we are paying for this activity via direct debit (so, the money leaves our account whether he attends the classes or not) and decided that with just one week left to go before the school holidays start, now was not the time to give up. He's going to get 3 weeks off shortly anyway. And we want him to learn about the importance of follow-through. And commitment. And all that good stuff.
So off we went. Walking through the dimly-lit car park outside the activity centre, he told me again that his tummy hurt. Once we had ruled out this being a result of his drawstring trousers being tied too tightly (they were, but that was another drama), I asked him when the pain had started. Before, or after dinner?
'After dinner', he answered firmly, wrongly scenting an opt out.
'Oh, don't worry then. That's just the sprouts. You'll be fine when you've had a bit of a run around...' Quietly, I resolved to make sure to sit as as far from the class as possible, for safety's sake.
'Sprouts?' His voice rose in consternation. 'We didn't have sprouts for dinner. Did we?'
'Yes, we did, actually.'
'But I don't like sprouts!'
'Well, you ate them.' He looked at me disbelievingly. 'What do you think the green stuff in the chicken stir-fry was?'
'Cabbage?' I shook my head. 'Spinach?' Again, no. 'Broccoli?'
'No. Sprouts. And you liked them, didn't you?'
He looked at me and turned away in disgust. 'I can't believe you got me to eat sprouts and didn't even tell me.'
I called after him as he entered the gym. 'It's nearly Christmas, Boy #2. Of COURSE there are sprouts! You might want to check your cereal bowl tomorrow morning, too. Who knows where they'll pop up next...'
Bwahahahahaha...
I was tempted to let him stay home, but then remembered that we are paying for this activity via direct debit (so, the money leaves our account whether he attends the classes or not) and decided that with just one week left to go before the school holidays start, now was not the time to give up. He's going to get 3 weeks off shortly anyway. And we want him to learn about the importance of follow-through. And commitment. And all that good stuff.
So off we went. Walking through the dimly-lit car park outside the activity centre, he told me again that his tummy hurt. Once we had ruled out this being a result of his drawstring trousers being tied too tightly (they were, but that was another drama), I asked him when the pain had started. Before, or after dinner?
'After dinner', he answered firmly, wrongly scenting an opt out.
'Oh, don't worry then. That's just the sprouts. You'll be fine when you've had a bit of a run around...' Quietly, I resolved to make sure to sit as as far from the class as possible, for safety's sake.
'Sprouts?' His voice rose in consternation. 'We didn't have sprouts for dinner. Did we?'
'Yes, we did, actually.'
'But I don't like sprouts!'
'Well, you ate them.' He looked at me disbelievingly. 'What do you think the green stuff in the chicken stir-fry was?'
'Cabbage?' I shook my head. 'Spinach?' Again, no. 'Broccoli?'
'No. Sprouts. And you liked them, didn't you?'
He looked at me and turned away in disgust. 'I can't believe you got me to eat sprouts and didn't even tell me.'
I called after him as he entered the gym. 'It's nearly Christmas, Boy #2. Of COURSE there are sprouts! You might want to check your cereal bowl tomorrow morning, too. Who knows where they'll pop up next...'
Bwahahahahaha...
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