3:30 the phone rings. It’s Cole’s friend, asking for him. When I told him he had gone to a different friend to play, he mumbled something about the campout.
Campout? I ask, What campout?
He mumbles something about a campout and that it’s probably too late, since they are supposed to be at the scout master’s house at 4:00. Then he tells me to hold on just a minute, and he puts his mom on. She asks me didn’t I know about the campout to Camp Floyd? You know, the one they signed up for in the spring? I’m wondering how I would know that. Probably on that note from the scout master in the middle of the summer that outlined a few months worth of things. Things I should have written on the calendar, but for some reason did not.
So, I called Cole at his friend’s house, to see if he wanted me to rush over and get him and help him pack for this campout.
No. He said. It’s too late, and I didn’t remember about it. He gives me all the reasons why he didn’t know, and that I didn’t tell him about it.
I kind of lost it a tiny bit there in telling him that I can’t be responsible for telling him about every single SCOUT activity that he has.
But he decided that he would rather not go this time.
So, I need to let it be his decision, and let it be all right to miss out on this one thing. It’s his decision, right, and if he doesn’t want to do it, I can’t force him to do it. Even though I know it will be tons of fun, and every scout activity is always a good thing for them to do.
But it’s not my decision.
Ugh. Letting them grow up is hard.
I like that still control their universe for the most part. They eat what I make them eat, wear what I make them wear, etc.
I am trying to start learning now how not to control the lives of my children 🙂 !! It is hard to bite my tongue or keep my opinion to myself.
👿 But I WANT to control my children, don’t you? I want to MAKE them obey, be righteous and make all the right decisions. I’d like to take away their free agency–just a little bit. Is that wrong?
I think rather than be upset about it forever, I’d sit him down and talk about what went wrong–where the communication broke down, and agree together to try harder so he could enjoy all the activities that are planned for him. But you’ll probably do that without my suggestion.
We are finding out the hard way that too many missed scout trips can bite you in the end. Sometimes you have to do what you know he needs to do, even if he doesn’t want to do it. Believe me I am right there, right now.