Winter coat

I saw red. I tried not to, but I did. HOW? How in the world do you forget a coat when it is 6, count them...6, degrees outside. Patience will elude me in this.

I shouldn't have lectured, but I did. I should have maintained my composure, but I definitely didn't. As we walked out the door last night to go see the Christmas lights, I was fuming. I know he's only 7, but seriously!

I thought back to my own childhood. I remember my mother insisting I take gloves to school. I remember taking them off as soon as I was out of sight of her car and refusing to wear them during recess. I'm sure I made my mother crazy. Common sense and popularity do not go well together. And yet, I survived, and I still have my hands.

I made my son wear his sister's old Cheer coat to school. I figured at least it's blue and he'll have something to wear until he locates his coat at school. He was mildly unhappy, but I'm sure he could tell there was no room for discussion. I made him take a hat and gloves. He may not wear them, but at least I'm giving him the choice not to freeze to death.

After the kids walked out the door, I returned to the laundry room. I put a load of whites in and picked up the random things off the floor to tidy up a bit. And then I saw it. The elusive coat was behind the door. Hiding. Refusing to be found. Insisting that it be thought to be at school on this cold, winter day.

I sighed a heavy sigh. I gave the wrong lecture. He needed the "put your stuff away" lecture, not the "don't leave your coat at school" lecture. Then again, I'm sure he could do without a lecture at all.

Lessons will be learned.