The Mom's Book of Worries

I vividly remember the chants we recited without fully understanding as children. "Liar, Liar... Cinderella dressed in yellow... Cross my Heart..."

Honestly that last one was a bit hard for me to say. I did not want to visualize a needle in my eye or worse, hope to die! Although the original is much longer and speaks of breaking a promise to save a friend even if it means loosing the friendship, it is not on my list of favs.

But I find myself thinking about it as my son transitions from his first school to his new Kindergarten. It was a long few weeks and I was worried that I had made a terrible blunder in moving him a few months after the school year, but there was nothing else to do. So I had to make it up to him. I had to motivate him to do his best in school. I had to encourage new friendships.

So I promised him a guinea pig.

That is surely what you were expecting!? We made a vow as a family that if he could go a whole week following directions, completing his work on time, and keeping his 'light on green' at school, he could have a guinea pig.

Well the first week didn't go so hot and I was starting to seriously doubt my instincts, but by the third week he was sailing. He ended the early week on yellow, and had to start over. He kept trying. He chose a name and a color pattern, and would light up whenever he told anyone who would listen about his guinea pig.

And so Jeffrey is fat, fluffy and already attached to his new friend. They were inseparable today and they are even cozyed up under the same blanket! Do I stash him away or see how the first night goes?