The show doesn't always go on...

Ever since the fair, Wyatt likes to put on pretend car shows. The other day, Catty and I were still at the lunch table, held hostage by the marathon eater known as Cooper. Wyatt announced that the car show was about to begin. We assured him that as soon as Cooper was done, we would all join him to watch the car show. Catty stayed at the table and as I did the dishes I watched Wyatt happily unpack his HotWheels backpack and meticulously position all of his cars on the concrete block in our yard. “One minute until the car show” he announced every few minutes. Either Catty or I would yell back, “We’ll be out as soon as Cooper is done.” A minute later he would announce “Ladies and gentlemen, the car show will begin in five minutes.” With Cooper still at the table, I figured Wyatt would wait for us so I made a quick trip to the toilet. Sixty seconds later, I made my way out to the backyard, only to find that my little man had packed all of his HotWheels back in his backpack and announced very matter-of-factly “The car show is over. You missed it.” It broke my heart. I tried to persuade him to put on the car show, I explained that I had just gone to the bathroom for a second while Cooper finished his lunch but that I was very excited to see the show. “Well, you missed it because you went to the bathroom then. You shouldn’t have gone to the bathroom.”. What to do…. I begged. “Will you please put on the car show?” “No, it’s over. You missed it.” All this time he spoke without anger but with definite finality. “Will you put on the car show tomorrow after lunch?” “Yes I will. Tomorrow after lunch there will be another car show. You should never go to the bathroom again so you don’t miss the car show.” As he was walking away, he looked back at me and said “I am very upset.” Luckily he didn’t appear upset. No tears, no yelling, not even a really sad look on his face. Just pure resolve that this time he would teach me the lesson – the world does not revolve around you. I was awed at his grasp of actions leading to irreversible consequences that were beyond one's control. I was saddened to see in him, my unyielding parenting style. Should a 3-year old already know that you can’t always get what you want???? Am I too tough on the kids? Should I give in more? I realised then and there that Wyatt is a huge sponge and I flashed forward to visions of him as a very tough father. I am taking this as a huge life lesson - our kids will not wait to grow up, we cannot stop them. We need to enjoy the car shows whenever they are on. The dishes can wait. And sometimes, I guess, even the bathroom can too.