why should I?

Why should I?

“Little Jeffy", called Sara, "come and kiss mommy night-night it’s time to go to bed.”

Three -year-old Jeffy, was playing with his Lego’s, he chose to ignore his mommy. Still a little upset with having to get his hair washed in the bath tub tonight. Jeffy doesn't like getting his hair washed. It's scary to him to have that pitcher over his head. That pitcher, his mommy uses to get the shapoo out of his hair. He hates shapoo too. One time the bubbles got in his eye and it burned so bad Jeffy cried hard. Jeffy blames the pitcher on that. One day he's going to hide that pitcher and maybe mommy won't wash his hair anymore! Jeffy’s eight -year -old brother Richie came into the room.

“Jeffy, mom said to go kiss her good night it’s time for bed."

“Why should I?” Asked Jeffy,  with a little bit of an attitude.

“Because, you don’t want her to be upset with you do you?”

“I don’t want mommy mad at me but I don’t want to kiss her night-night. I dis wanna play with my Legos." Jeffy likes being on the floor of his bedroom. The carpet is soft and squishy under his feet and feels good to lay on too. It is not good for Legos though, he has to put them on an old gameboard mommy doesn't play anymore. Legos won't stand up good on carpet. They will fall over too easy. Little soldier men fall down on carpet too. Jeffy thought about getting some soldier men to play with too.

  "You better pick up your Legos too. You have them scattered all over the floor." Richie says.
 
“Why should I?"

  “Because somebody could step on the Legos and hurt their foot. Do you want to hurt people’s feet?”

"No, I don't wanna hurt people's feet but I wanna play!
What will happen if I don't kiss mommy night-night?"

“Nothing will happen, but it might make mommy feel sad. She loves you and she likes her kisses and hugs. You know that."

“It made me sad to wash my hair but mommy did it anyway."

“If she doesn’t wash your hair you would have lots of germs, and you can get bugs and everything. Mommy washes your hair because she loves you.”

  "What kind of bugs?" Jeffy thought of all the bugs he's played with. Rolly pollies, worms, beetles, and one time he had a real spider right in his hand!

  "I don't want bugs in my hair."

  Richie, continues,"Real tiny invisible bugs, you can't see them but they can hurt you. That's why mommy washes your hair."

Wow, Jeffy didn't know there were invisible bugs. He still does not want them in his hair. He still does not like his hair washed..

“So love makes you sad?”Asks Jeffy.

  "No, love does not make you sad. You just don't like your hair washed so don't blame it on mom. It's good for you."

  "But it hurts to wash my hair and I hate that pitcher! If mommy does it because she loves me then love hurts!"

  Sara was listening to this conversation just outside the boys’ bedroom door.  Inside her heart she was very proud of her eldest son, Richie. He gave a good explanation for washing Jeffy's hair. Because she loves him that's why! It is so simple. Richie is wiser than she gives him credit for. She is just as proud of Jeffy for questioning the things of life. Why should he indeed? Why should she make her son kiss her goodnight? She does not want forced affection from anyone.

Sara recalls hearing stories when she was a child. Stories that scared her. Stories, about children who were forced to kiss their dead grandparents in their caskets! UGH! Those children were scarred for life! Some must have had serious mental problems when they grew up. Sara had a deep shudder. The thought of her son never giving her hugs and kisses anymore would hurt more than she could bear, but she won’t insist on a kiss.
  Sara snaps out of her little thoughts of dead grandparents and forced kisses and enters the bedroom.

“Ok boys, it’s time for bed.”

“Ouch,” she stepped on a Lego.

“Jeffy, please pick up your Legos before you get into bed.” She stood there while he picked up his Legos and put them away. She knelt down beside his bed to help him say his prayers. Jeffy knelt beside her and said his prayers.
  "God bless Daddy and Mommy and Richie and Gramma and Grampa and God, please make the bugs go away so I don't have to wash my hair anymore".
Sara smiled. She never thought a child would pray for bugs to go away. Some things can be real serious for a child.

  “Amen.” Said Jeffy, and then he hopped into his bed.

“Good night my sweethearts, I’ll see you in the morning."She gave an extra tight hug to Richie. Sara left the boys' room to sink into her recliner. It's 'me' time. Just as she was putting her feet up, Jeffy walked into the room.

“Mommy I’m sorry you hurt your foot on my Lego.”

“That’s okay Jeffy, now you know why we pick up our toys.”

“Mommy, it made me sad, because Richie told me somebody could get hurt. But I didn't pick them up. Then you did step on them. Then you hurt your foot. I don’t want you hurt mommy".
"I wish love didn't hurt."

“Why do you say love hurts?” she asked him.
.
“You washed my hair because you love me.”

"That’s true Jeffy."

“Mommy, here’s a night-night kiss. Jeffy crawled up in her lap and kissed her and squeezed her neck and said, night-night mommy.”

“Night-night Jeffy, I love you too, now off to bed.”

As Jeffy scampered away she thought about things to do tomorrow. She'll cook an extra special breakfast for the boys. She’ll fix Richie’s favorite, banana pancakes and Jeffy’s favorite, oatmeal with brown sugar. Then she smiled and said out loud,

“Why should I? Because love hurts, that’s why.” Love hurts so good!