Scaling New Heights

This picture signifies independence.

And oh, how I longed for the day for Hayden to become somewhat independent.

You want Yogurt?!? Sure. Go get it.

And now he’s there, moving chairs and scaling cabinets to get what he needs.

I am used to the independence at home...but intrigued by his independence at school. Maybe it is because I am not there for him if he needed me.

For unexplainable reasons, my eyes filled up with tears the first time I scanned over his purchases on the school lunch payment website.

Ahhhh. How cute. He bought breakfast.

Ahhhh. How cute. He made the decision to add sherbet on his cute-little-kindergarten-lunch- tray.

Then he started talking about FREE ICE CREAM Fridays. I probably should have corrected this mis-information, but what is eighty five cents among friends, I thought.

But with independence comes mistakes.

And last Thursday was one of those mistakes. For the second time in a row, Hayden made the decision in the morning to pack a Lunchable but then “forgot” he had packed one by lunch time.

I realized the “mistake” while unpacking his backpack that evening. I began to lecture him about wasting money, and how I really don’t care if he packs his lunch or eats at school, but it doesn’t make sense financially to do both.

Wasteful! Kids in Africa are starving!

Then for effect, I threw in the fact that the money he was wasting could have been our spending money at Disney World.

He stopped me before I could elaborate to enlighten me about the error in my logic.


Eyebrows furrowed, in an all knowing tone he said, “Yea. But every time you buy Lunchables you have the CHANCE to win a free vacation. "

Then he paused and probably sensed my unspoken frustration.

"FOR REAL! Go to lunchables.com to see if you’ve won. " he said in his advertising voice.

Seriously, that boy needs to pursue a career in marketing!

In that moment I fought back laughter and decided to walk away from the lecture. I mean, how could I possibly continue my argument without knowing if the luke-warm pizza Lunchable I was holding contained the all expense paid vacation.

Plus, he probably wouldn’t have heard much of what I had to say anyway, as he was most likely mumbling the rest of the rules under his breath.

:::No purchase necessary to win. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes open to legal residents only. Sweepstakes ends May 31st, 2010:::