April Fool's Day

Every once in a while I get a misdirected comment or an email from one of you complimenting me on my parenting skills.  I got one such email on Sunday, and I was certain it had to be a well-played albeit kind of mean April Fool's Day joke.   I do have good intentions, but the combination of my relentless childhood nostalgia and my children's relentless need to misinterpret and/or destroy everything has proven to be a lethal combination.

That April Fool's Day joke led to another, and then another, and eventually confirmed my suspicions that I have scarred these kids for life.

 

"Hey Cael, have I told you before about April Fool's Day?"

"What is that?"

"On the first day of April, some people like to play a funny trick.  They tell a story that isn't true and then say, 'April Fool's!" 

"Those people tell a lie?"

"Well, it's not a mean lie.  It's just a silly thing to do." 

"It's funny to lie, Mommy." 

Oh no, this is unraveling fast.

"Okay, not like a lie.  It's more like a trick." 

"I want to trick Graham!"

"Cael, you need to remember that this is a nice trick; a silly trick.  Okay?" 

"Okay!"

Do you remember what it felt like in middle school when you had a bad grade in a class, and you knew that your report card was being mailed home that afternoon?  Remember the dread?  I do.

Most of the day went by, and by that afternoon the boys were itching to play outside.  I strapped their shoes on and sent them outside to play while Joel and my nephews, who were enlisted to help with yard work, checked on them periodically as they hauled loads of grass clippings and weeds to the back yard.

But while I made stuffed peppers in the kitchen, I heard Graham's voice objecting to any number of offenses Cael had committed.  I waited momentarily for the boys to come to aid, but when no one did I opened the garage door to find that they'd gone to the hardware store and I'd been ignoring Graham's pleas for help.  Just as I rushed to the deck, Cael reached the top of the stairs and began his defense.  Graham emerged in a sniffling puddle and pointed at Cael.

"What did you just do?"

"I tricked him!"

"Cael, I told you that it is supposed to be a fun, silly trick.  Not a mean trick."

"I did!"

"Okay, tell me exactly how you tricked him."

"I put my leg in front of him and made him fall."

"Ugh, Cael!!!  I said to trick him, not trip him."

I guess I'm the April fool after all.