We were on the way home from soccer.
"D - I - K."
I could see where this was going.
"Say it out loud," Shane said.
"Nice try, kid." I grinned.
Shane stopped and it as quiet for a moment.
"So....who tricked you with that one?" I asked.
"Aiden! I said it out loud around a bunch of people! They all laughed and laughed!"
"Uh huh. It's always good to think before speaking. You won't fall for that one again, will you?"
"Nope!"
A good lesson and a good joke.....for the elementary level.
Still, there was more that could be learned.
"Who did you try to trick after you got tricked yourself?" I continued.
Of course, Shane tried the joke out himself. That's classic kid. Shane regaled me with a long story, I nodded to and laughed about. At the end, I continued my train of thought.
"So what do you think the kid you tricked did next? Do you think they tried to trick someone else?"
Shane did. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Shane was holding back that he tried the joke ten more times!
I said something about how that kind of joke could create a cycle. Someone got tricked and then they'd trick someone else and it could be funny, but it wasn't always nice. It could get ugly if people kept going back and forth. I said that as Christians, Jesus wanted us to be the kind of people who could break a cycle by not getting back at someone. People who could accept they got tricked, learn from it, and know that they were okay as is because they were loved.
I also told him that he would get in trouble at school and at home if he kept using that word. Shane's not quiet type. I made it very clear I would be upset if I heard he was being rude and using bad words at school. "They're called your privates, because you keep them private."
I felt like a good parent and that a lesson was learned. I hoped that I'd headed off a future note from Shane's teacher, as well. He's gotten in trouble for potty humor before, but it seemed like he was really understanding what we talked about.
Fast forward to Thursday - Carrie and I picked up Shane from school together. Carrie wanted to drive down to visit our future home as a family and Shane revealed a note his teacher had made him write.
I can't find the letter now, but the gist of it was this. Shane's teacher stepped out of the room to put the lunch leftovers away. A kid in the class named Anthony (not the soccer one), was joking around and slapping himself between the legs and Shane yelled, "Stop slapping your dick!" in a full-Shane voice that echoed beyond the classroom as she returned.
There was a post-it note from Mrs. B attached that read, "This is not the first time."
I was annoyed, but Carrie was mortified.
It made for an uncomfortable drive. I thought she was too mad, but maybe her sitting and fuming is what will communicate to Shane what I thought he'd already understood.
We did arrive at the home site and got to take a look around. Progress has been made.
The foundation is going in. We're projected for an August completion date. Carrie's got more pictures and I'll eventually post a "Stages of Development" post. It's starting to feel more real to me.
Carrie went out earlier in the week and got sunburned marking out future fence posts, the arena, and the barn.
We stumbled across a skeleton while we were walking the grounds.
Shane was fascinated and Carrie let him unearth it a little. She used to work as a vet tech, so she was able to answer some of his questions.
As we walked around, the neighbors rode by on a tractor. Shelby, a 4th grader, was getting a driving lesson from her grandpa. We stopped to talk for a moment. Maybe the kids will get to go fishing together sometime in the future!
Carrie requested we stop by a local restaurant for dinner. It turned out it was "Kids eat free" night! Shane desperately wanted to play some video games (and even tried to worm his way in), but he wasn't allowed (See: "Kid backwards").
Carrie and I enjoyed our meals. Scottsville is a small enough place, I wouldn't mind getting established as a 'regular' at a place or two.
Carrie wandered off on a work phone call and Shane and I caught up with her at a creek behind the pavillion. Carrie spotted a large snapping turtle that had embedded itself in the mud and refused to move. She was tickled pink!
It was a happier ride back. Shane didn't get any electronics and we've had a talk since. It'll be a funny story when he's older......though, I think it's pretty funny right now!
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