Hunter was in kindergarten and it was Christmastime 2009. Noah Webster was having a "Santa's Workshop" there at the school where the kids could bring money and buy different gifts for their family. Hunter had been asking all week if he could have some money to buy some presents. Deke and I talked about it and decided we would rather take him shopping with us to Target or somewhere to find a couple of things since those little gifts at the school don't usually hold up very well. That decided we relayed the message to Hunter who was bummed about it but seemed to perk up when we told him we would go shopping over the weekend. I kissed him goodbye and Deke went to drop him off at school. Later that afternoon I was sitting in the parent pick up line at the school and I look ahead of me and see Hunter sitting with his class. In his arms he is holding a large white bag. Puzzled I pulled up as he gets into the van grinning ear to ear. "Did you guys make a present in class this week?" I asked him. 'Nope Mom, these are presents from the Santa's workshop that I got today....don't peek!" "Deke you traitor," I thought thinking that maybe Hunter had broke him down and Deke had given him some cash. I again looked at the bag and wondered how much Deke had given him. "Hunter did dad give you money this morning for the workshop?" I asked him. Perking up, he excitedly started his story "No, Mom this is so cool....this morning I was in your guys room sitting on the ground putting my shoes on when I saw something laying on the floor under the desk. I picked it up and it was $20!!!!" he said his tone happy and his excitement picking up. "It was just laying there and it didn't belong to anybody so I picked it up and put it in my pocket." "Then I brought it to school to buy things at the Santa's workshop." He had spent the entire twenty give or take a few pennies and a couple of nickels. What I did next I will always remember and look back on as a learning lesson to myself. "Hunter you found that money in mom and dad's room right? Did you ask us if that money belonged to us?" I then proceeded to tell him that the money had belonged to us and that $20 is a lot of money. I scolded him for taking it without asking first and then spending the entire thing on the workshop after he had been told we would take him shopping this weekend. As I pulled into the drive way I noticed it was dead quiet. I turned around and my little six year old had tears running down his cheeks. I swear my heart stopped for a moment as I realized the way I had just poorly handled the situation. "Hunter, why did you take that money without asking?" I said softly trying now to understand his little logic. "Well....you know Mom how when we are going somwhere or walking outside and we see a penny on the ground you always tell me to pick it up and keep it for good luck? Well $20 Mom, wow I must be reaaaaallllly lucky" he said looking at me with a little smile waiting for understanding. I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or cry. "So what did you get?" I asked him. Smiling wide again he reached into the bag and started pulling out gifts. "Well this is a kite for Dad that he can color and then him and I can go fly it at the park" "this is a piggy bank for Avery that is pink since its her favorite and it has a little bow since she likes girl stuff." "The flashlight is for Grandpa Burch to use to help him because it is dark when he is working under the car now he will be able to see," "a panda bear stuffed animal that rattles for the baby to have when she is born and is crying so she can have something to play with," "a ring for Grandma Burch that is sparkly like her eyes"and for you Mom a ring too that looks pretty just like you are." It was silver with a green diamond shaped stone in the center. There was no debating now, the choice was tears. I cried, upset at myself for a quick, rash response to his geniune misunderstanding of my own words. "Find a $20 pick it up then you'll REALLY have good luck" I thought to myself and half laugh and bawled finally understanding his thought process. It really did make sense from what he had heard me always tell him. I cried at the thought that he had put so lovingly into every single gift inside that big white bag. Not buying anything for himself and everything very specifically chosen for each person. Hunter understood the meaning of Christmas was giving. Wiping my eyes I explained to him in more detail about the penny and that we should always make sure that if we find money that it doesn't belong to anyone. Eager to please and mend my obvious emotional state he quickly said "Okay Mom, you know what, whenever I see a penny on the ground I will pick it up and say 'Hey does this belong to anybody? and make sure before I take it. I grabbed that boy up in my arms and squeezed him so huge. He is so special. Just has an amazing personality, very sensitive to those around him. I could hardly wait for the little carefully wrapped presents that year that sat underneath the Christmas tree to all of us from Hunter. Watching everyone open them and explain them was so precious. The spirit of Christmas taught to me by my son, if you check my purse today inside you'll find a small silver ring with a green stone inside always there to remind me.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The day Hunter taught me about Christmas
Hunter was in kindergarten and it was Christmastime 2009. Noah Webster was having a "Santa's Workshop" there at the school where the kids could bring money and buy different gifts for their family. Hunter had been asking all week if he could have some money to buy some presents. Deke and I talked about it and decided we would rather take him shopping with us to Target or somewhere to find a couple of things since those little gifts at the school don't usually hold up very well. That decided we relayed the message to Hunter who was bummed about it but seemed to perk up when we told him we would go shopping over the weekend. I kissed him goodbye and Deke went to drop him off at school. Later that afternoon I was sitting in the parent pick up line at the school and I look ahead of me and see Hunter sitting with his class. In his arms he is holding a large white bag. Puzzled I pulled up as he gets into the van grinning ear to ear. "Did you guys make a present in class this week?" I asked him. 'Nope Mom, these are presents from the Santa's workshop that I got today....don't peek!" "Deke you traitor," I thought thinking that maybe Hunter had broke him down and Deke had given him some cash. I again looked at the bag and wondered how much Deke had given him. "Hunter did dad give you money this morning for the workshop?" I asked him. Perking up, he excitedly started his story "No, Mom this is so cool....this morning I was in your guys room sitting on the ground putting my shoes on when I saw something laying on the floor under the desk. I picked it up and it was $20!!!!" he said his tone happy and his excitement picking up. "It was just laying there and it didn't belong to anybody so I picked it up and put it in my pocket." "Then I brought it to school to buy things at the Santa's workshop." He had spent the entire twenty give or take a few pennies and a couple of nickels. What I did next I will always remember and look back on as a learning lesson to myself. "Hunter you found that money in mom and dad's room right? Did you ask us if that money belonged to us?" I then proceeded to tell him that the money had belonged to us and that $20 is a lot of money. I scolded him for taking it without asking first and then spending the entire thing on the workshop after he had been told we would take him shopping this weekend. As I pulled into the drive way I noticed it was dead quiet. I turned around and my little six year old had tears running down his cheeks. I swear my heart stopped for a moment as I realized the way I had just poorly handled the situation. "Hunter, why did you take that money without asking?" I said softly trying now to understand his little logic. "Well....you know Mom how when we are going somwhere or walking outside and we see a penny on the ground you always tell me to pick it up and keep it for good luck? Well $20 Mom, wow I must be reaaaaallllly lucky" he said looking at me with a little smile waiting for understanding. I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or cry. "So what did you get?" I asked him. Smiling wide again he reached into the bag and started pulling out gifts. "Well this is a kite for Dad that he can color and then him and I can go fly it at the park" "this is a piggy bank for Avery that is pink since its her favorite and it has a little bow since she likes girl stuff." "The flashlight is for Grandpa Burch to use to help him because it is dark when he is working under the car now he will be able to see," "a panda bear stuffed animal that rattles for the baby to have when she is born and is crying so she can have something to play with," "a ring for Grandma Burch that is sparkly like her eyes"and for you Mom a ring too that looks pretty just like you are." It was silver with a green diamond shaped stone in the center. There was no debating now, the choice was tears. I cried, upset at myself for a quick, rash response to his geniune misunderstanding of my own words. "Find a $20 pick it up then you'll REALLY have good luck" I thought to myself and half laugh and bawled finally understanding his thought process. It really did make sense from what he had heard me always tell him. I cried at the thought that he had put so lovingly into every single gift inside that big white bag. Not buying anything for himself and everything very specifically chosen for each person. Hunter understood the meaning of Christmas was giving. Wiping my eyes I explained to him in more detail about the penny and that we should always make sure that if we find money that it doesn't belong to anyone. Eager to please and mend my obvious emotional state he quickly said "Okay Mom, you know what, whenever I see a penny on the ground I will pick it up and say 'Hey does this belong to anybody? and make sure before I take it. I grabbed that boy up in my arms and squeezed him so huge. He is so special. Just has an amazing personality, very sensitive to those around him. I could hardly wait for the little carefully wrapped presents that year that sat underneath the Christmas tree to all of us from Hunter. Watching everyone open them and explain them was so precious. The spirit of Christmas taught to me by my son, if you check my purse today inside you'll find a small silver ring with a green stone inside always there to remind me.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment