Honesty is Always the Best Policy

   “I get to light the candle tomorrow.”  It was a statement made quite matter-of-factly by my first grader as I was bathing his week old brother.

   “Huh?”

   “Mrs. White said I could light the candle tomorrow.”

   “With what ? ”  I asked.

   “A match,” He answered.

   Immediately, my mind was whisked away to that ‘Mama Bear’ place of WHAT? WHO WOULD TELL YOU, IT WAS OK FOR YOU TO LEARN TO STRIKE A MATCH WHEN THAT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN HERE?!?!  You see, the baby I was bathing was my THIRD son and John and I had put safeguards in place that would hopefully prevent any unfortunate circumstances like, oh let’s say, our boys BURNING OUR HOUSE DOWN, from happening.  Using matches was a no-no and why on earth would anyone tempt my six-year-old with that?

   Not wanting to let him see me sweat, I asked, “What candle?”

   “The candle in the circle of cu-surs.”

   Puzzled, I asked, “What is a circle of cu-surs?”

   “You know….it’s circle where we share our cu-surs.”

   “Why do you need a candle?”

   He seemed a little perturbed as he answered, “Because the light is off.”

   By now, I am beginning to get fidgety.  “What is a cu-sur?”

   With Ninja Turtle in hand, he explained, “Like Daniel.   His dog died and he shared it.  Or like when you get in trouble with your mom and dad..."

   I interrupted him, “Oh, you mean ‘concerns’!  The circle of concerns.”

   “Yes! Cu-surs!!  Miss White asks us if we have any cu-surs and we can talk about them.”

   Now, I am in panic mode.  This precocious child of mine whose mouth, on countless occasions, had been the source of much awkwardness was now given a daily platform and opportunity to dish on whatever he deemed a concern?!?!  Really?? This is the child that stood in my kitchen between my 8 ½ months pregnant belly and a plumber- with arms crossed demanding to know, “Are you kissing my Momma?!?”   This is the one that told his dad’s fellow employee that, “My momma is sleeping with customers”, when I was at a Ladies Sunday school class Slumber Party. (To which his dad quickly responded, “We do what we gotta do.”)  This precious angel is the same who, after having been threatened repeatedly to “whisper” in church, continued to talk out loud.  Upon picking him up and carrying him out, he—mid-sermon—yelled out, “HELP ME!” This is the one.   The blonde haired, blue eyed doll that for all I knew had already been sharing his concerns…and only heaven knows what those were. I could only imagine what he had shared about a spanking he had recently received………………………………………………to be continued