My son is extremely gullible. For the last several weeks, he’s been complaining about a scorpion that’s been hiding in his bed. Due to the unwelcome creature, he has refused to use his covers. Instead, Jrod has requested a light, but itchy, wool blanket that barely covered him. I needed to do something about the situation. <\/p>\n
So, one morning I came down the stairs and announced that I had caught the scorpion. He looked at me with big, believing eyes: “No way, mom! What did he look like?” <\/p>\n
It was as easy as that. “Well, Jrod, he was green, but a nice green, not a mean green.” <\/p>\n
“Where did you put him?” I anticipated this question, figuring he would want to see the creature. <\/p>\n
“In the toilet.”<\/p>\n
“Mom, you killed the scorpion!” This, I did not anticipate. <\/p>\n
I thought quick. “You see, when the scorpions go down the toilet, they go into a river. Once they’re in the river, they’re safe.” <\/p>\n
“Oh, man, Mom. So he’s going to come back!” <\/p>\n
Good grief. This one was keeping me on my toes. “No, Jrod, he won’t come back because he was a winter scorpion. You see, it’s spring and almost summer now. So he’s gone – he doesn’t like the warmer weather.” <\/p>\n
“Great. Glad that’s over.” That night my son pulled up his covers….for the first time in a month. <\/p>\n
Sometimes, I can’t believe how easy it is. And sometimes after one of these tall tales, I wonder to myself: what is more disturbing? The fact that he believes every word I say or the fact that these fictional stories come so easily to me? <\/p>\n
Tonight, once again, my son proved his absolute vulnerability and I proved my fictional creativity (for the sake of argument). I put curlers in Ella’s hair for the first time, just to try something new. When I was finished, Jrod came downstairs and exclaimed, “Mom, what in the world is in Ella’s hair?” <\/p>\n
“Alien reactors, Jrod. You see, these help Ella to get a better sense of what the Aliens are saying.” <\/p>\n
Ella stood there very still. She is a rational child. A child with a conscience (which clearly does not come from her mother). I could tell that she was having an internal debate – do I tell him that these are plain old curlers, or do I tell him the sensation I’m getting from the Alien’s messages? <\/p>\n
After getting as close to Ella as he would allow himself, Jrod spoke up very cautiously: “Ella, what does it feel like? Do you feel it in your brain or is it just like sharp? ” I couldn’t help myself. “Jrod, she can’t feel it, she can only hear them.” <\/p>\n
“Wow.” <\/p>\n
Ella couldn’t take it anymore. “OK, OK, they’re just curlers, Jrod. They just make my hair curly!” I suppose I should be thankful that when my husband is away, there is at least one adult in the house. <\/p>\n
Jrod tilted his head and replied with a very simple, “Oh.” <\/p>\n
The funny thing is that I couldn’t sleep last night. There was something bothering me that I couldn’t shake. I tried to rationalize my absurd and ridiculous thoughts, but what if my worries had merit? What then? So, at 2:30 in the morning, I crept into my sons room, lifted up his newly used blankets and did a big swipe. No scorpions. <\/p>\n
I deserved that wrest less night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My son is extremely gullible. For the last several weeks, he’s been complaining about a scorpion that’s been hiding in … <\/p>\n