Parker story.....

Every Saturday and Sunday the kids go to Chinese School. Now these schools are at two different locations. Saturday we take the kids to China Inn 2 (restaurant) to learn Chinese from the owner and someone else who works there occasionally, but also teaches Chinese at Colorado college downtown. This is the location where the kids get to eat snacks and play while learning the Chinese language. The other school is located by the north entrance to the AF Academy and is where they also spend 2 hours every Sunday learning more of the culture and language but in more of a school setting. So now on with my story...

Yesterday morning Parker came to me and told me that he didn't want to learn Chinese anymore. Now shocked and disappointed in this admission of his. I pointed out that this would also include NOT going to China Inn 2 with the other kids on Saturdays and getting all kinds of wonderful snacks, which all the children enjoy. He understood but stood by his decision. So I told him that if that is what he wanted that during Chinese school time he would be sent to his room to read and rest on both days. He understood.

So after this discussion he left and went downstairs to brag to his siblings that he no longer had to go to Chinese school. In the mean time I'm wondering just what I'm going to do about this new situation.

So.... What is my job? Well I'm to make sure they have love, they're safe, have clothes, are fed, have fun, etc.

What is Parker's job? To go to school and learn, go to Chinese school and learn, clean his room, brush his teeth, etc.

So quickly the answer came to me... He wasn't do all of his jobs. So if he didn't have to do one of his jobs, that meant that I didn't have to do one of my jobs. So I quickly sent a message downstairs (via his sister) that since he wasn't doing his job going to Chinese school, then I wasn't going to do my job and set up play dates for him. Especially with Tristan, a favorite friend of his.

I guess about 5 minutes passed and I hear footsteps climbing the stairs. Parker rounds the corner and informs me that he has changed his mind and wants to go to Chinese school. I told him how proud I was of him and that I had to think about whether or not I was going to change my mind about play dates. He left understanding my dilemma.

So after a few minutes I called him over in front of me and told him that I had decided that since he was going to be doing all of his jobs that I also felt it would be best if I did all of my jobs. He leaned over, hugged me and in my ear said, "I'm so glad you made the right decision!"