The Principal’s Office

Yesterday I posted about those “hand in the cookie jar moments.” We’ve all had them. We know we’ve done something wrong and we’ve been caught red-handed. My son reminded me tonight of his moment. It’s a precious memory to me.

Last year I was reading the last of the Narnia books to my son (then 8), I had to pause to explain something to him. One of the main characters is a donkey. Okay, Lewis doesn’t use the term “donkey.” He uses an older term which is no longer considered polite. I’m sure you can figure it out. My son wasn’t familiar with the term, so I was a little concerned that he would start using the word in conversation, unknowingly.

“Um, by the way, don’t ever use this word.”

“Why?”

“Well, in Lewis’ time it meant ‘donkey,’ but today it’s considered a naughty word.”

Of course an eight-year-old boy needs further clarification on what the word means exactly. I decided that knowledge was power, so I told him. He thought it was hysterical and was rolling on the floor with laughter. Now, knowing how silly eight-year-olds can be, I grew even more concerned that he would use the word to shock someone.

“Kiddo, I’m serious. This isn’t just naughty. It’s ‘get sent to the Principal’s office’ kind of bad.”

His eyes grew as big as saucers and his cheeks lost their rosy color. “That’s NOT why I was sent to the Principal’s office!”

My chin just about hit the floor. “What??? When were YOU in the Principal’s office?” How come nobody told me about this?

To my relief, my son was perfectly innocent. After a scuffle on the playground, the principal had crammed every third-grade boy into his office for a lecture on behavior. My kid was not involved (or so he and everyone else assured me) other than being included for the lecture.

But I will always treasure that moment. The deer-in-the-headlights look in his eyes was so precious. If it hadn’t of been for that conversation, I doubt I ever would have heard about the incident. It was almost as if he were admitting to having his hand in the cookie jar, even though he hadn’t taken the cookie! He must have felt some guilt about not telling us about being sent to the office.

We still love to needle him sometimes. “So kiddo, what did you get sent to the Principal’s office for today?” Thankfully, he hasn’t been back…

At least, not that he’s admitted.