By Alex Mellen (Writer's Choice)
“Noooo! I want to stay home with you!” Teresa bit her lip, not wanting to deal with another fit. Shopping for supplies and a backpack had been lots of fun, but the reality of losing Teresa sent Blake over the edge.
“I know you do, honey, but it’s time for you to start learning new things with other kids your age. You had fun at KinderKamp this summer, didn’t you?”
Blake almost nodded, then realized it was to his disadvantage. “But you were with me then.” He had found the hole in her case.
“But you did have fun with Tommy and Mike there.” Blake couldn’t say no to that. “Well, they’ll be in your class.” Blake was still on the verge of tears.
Teresa knelt in front of him. “Come here. I’ll tell you one more thing about school.” As they hugged, Teresa whispered the secret in his ear. When they parted, Blake’s eyes were bright, and when the school bus screeched to a halt in front of them, he eagerly jumped aboard.
Even with her secret weapon, Teresa fretted in her living room most of the day, waiting for the bus’s return. When it finally pulled up, she rushed outside. She was greeted by Blake jumping into her arms, motor mouth already going.
“Today was so much fun! We played a game with everybody’s names, and I was Bouncing Blake, so I kept jumping up and down, and then we made drums out of oatmeal jars, and I got to keep mine, and we got to color signs with our names on them, and—”
“Whoa, slow down, big boy!” Teresa set Blake on the ground. “I’m glad you had a good time. So did Miss Kindell serve graham crackers and pudding?” Last week, Teresa’s friend from college, Beth Kindell, had given her the scoop about the graham crackers and pudding, Blake’s favorite treats.
“Just the graham crackers, ‘cause some kids were allergic to the pudding. But I gave mine to Tommy after he dropped his. Mom, can I show you my drum?”
“Noooo! I want to stay home with you!” Teresa bit her lip, not wanting to deal with another fit. Shopping for supplies and a backpack had been lots of fun, but the reality of losing Teresa sent Blake over the edge.
“I know you do, honey, but it’s time for you to start learning new things with other kids your age. You had fun at KinderKamp this summer, didn’t you?”
Blake almost nodded, then realized it was to his disadvantage. “But you were with me then.” He had found the hole in her case.
“But you did have fun with Tommy and Mike there.” Blake couldn’t say no to that. “Well, they’ll be in your class.” Blake was still on the verge of tears.
Teresa knelt in front of him. “Come here. I’ll tell you one more thing about school.” As they hugged, Teresa whispered the secret in his ear. When they parted, Blake’s eyes were bright, and when the school bus screeched to a halt in front of them, he eagerly jumped aboard.
Even with her secret weapon, Teresa fretted in her living room most of the day, waiting for the bus’s return. When it finally pulled up, she rushed outside. She was greeted by Blake jumping into her arms, motor mouth already going.
“Today was so much fun! We played a game with everybody’s names, and I was Bouncing Blake, so I kept jumping up and down, and then we made drums out of oatmeal jars, and I got to keep mine, and we got to color signs with our names on them, and—”
“Whoa, slow down, big boy!” Teresa set Blake on the ground. “I’m glad you had a good time. So did Miss Kindell serve graham crackers and pudding?” Last week, Teresa’s friend from college, Beth Kindell, had given her the scoop about the graham crackers and pudding, Blake’s favorite treats.
“Just the graham crackers, ‘cause some kids were allergic to the pudding. But I gave mine to Tommy after he dropped his. Mom, can I show you my drum?”