5/13/2004 07:53:38 AM|||Amy|||Christ, I don't know why I am so emotional this morning. Bear was hesitant to go to school today. His name was written on the board yesterday, and he's missed some incredibly fun activity within his class for the last two days because he didn't finish his work or he was talking or things weren't put away properly or something. So, today, he just didn't want to deal with it and asked if he could chuck it all and go back to bed. So, I gave him a five minute pep talk about how intelligent he is and how if he applies himself and works really hard, then he'll be able to do all the things with his life that he dreams of now - such as being president, an American hero, a teacher and/or a Power Ranger. I also went down the list of all his family members, how we all love him and how universally proud we are of him.

Last night I told him that if he didn't pick up his toys, he was going to end up "being the loser in this situation." He stopped dead in his tracks, teared up and said, "You called me a LOSER." Oh God. I explained to him that this was specific to the picking up of his toys, and that I don't mean he is a loser generally - in fact, he's a winner! (You could actually hear the exclamation points in my voice.) Then, I tried to stifle my laughter because even if it was tragic that my child thought I had just rejected him, it was also strangely comical since I have unconditional faith in him and my belief that he's an exceptional little boy.

Anyway, just as the pep talk ended, it was time for Bear to go to school. He seemed really happy with being told how exceptional we all, including his teacher, think he is - and telling him to work hard and apply himself seemed to work. Then, after he walked out the door, I cried like a blubbering idiot and rushed in here to write all this in this blog.

I was supposed to get up at 4 this morning, walk two miles to the train station and then be at work by 7. Har, har. It's now five past 8 and I haven't even taken a shower.|||108445383850550528|||Emotional