Oh Happy Day
May 28, 2019 | 11:09 PM
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Today was a good day with Ash. The morning sucked, but we were able to recover and “start over.” I arrived to his school right at 2:50 pm and parked along side the pick up area. He was at our agreed pick up spot - the basketball court - and playing with his friend who loves to create a world of make believe just as much as he does.
I shouted his name a few times, before he heard me. Ash turned around and acknowledged me, said good-bye to his friend, then heaved on his backpack and came to the car.
“Hey Mommo! How was your day?”, he asked with such glee in his voice. He’s in a great mood!
On the drive to the allergy injection clinic, Ash worked on his math homework. After I checked in to the clinic, he finished his math homework then read his book for a bit, before finding some paper to fold and make into airplanes. I had time to read a book as well!
By the time I finished at the clinic, we were feeling really hungry. We decided to go to a restaurant for an early meal. I was proud of myself for ordering a Thai inspired chicken salad rather than the usual noodle and greasy appetizer dish.
We had a nice conversation and were simply present with one another. I used this opportunity to tell him that his friend and her family were moving up to Folsom, CA and that I’d schedule a playdate. I’m close to her mother too, so Ash and I expressed our sadness about both of our friends moving away. I wasn’t sure how he’d handle this but he was understanding and seemed to be okay.
As we were driving home on the congested freeway, I had an epiphany - Ash did not ask to play on my phone or complain about not having a gadget. It was the first time in a long time that he was content to be without a screen. I shared this with him and how it made my heart happy and that I really loved us being together and present with each other.
After twenty minutes of sitting in creeping traffic I realized I was feeling sleepy, so I thought it would be fun for us to play on an app called “Would You Rather”. I passed him my phone so he could ask me questions. “Mom, would you rather get a dollar each time you did something nice or $100 for doing something bad?”
We played this game (also a great way to get your kiddo practicing reading out loud!) all the way home. And I just realized something… Ash didn’t ask if he could play a different game on my phone. He was content spending that time interacting with me.