Toddler Math

Too many fun activities + dinner out + basketball game – a nap greater than 55 minutes = toddler demon spawn behavior ending with a melt down and early departure from the game.

We left the gym at 8:45 PM, slightly past his bed time, tears streaming down his face.  A friend joked, “he’s disappointed that he didn’t go to church!  That’s it!”  My kid?  Church?  Rrrright.  The cool air hit our faces as we left the building and calmed him some. As we reached the car, a statue behind the church caught my eye.

What the heck?  We kept walking and stood in front of the pretty Sacred Heart statue, looking that the final vestiges of our recent snow and the pretty Christmas lights.

“It’s a statue of Jesus.”

“Jesus….” said the same little voice who had earlier echoed the “dammit” that I had let fly in the car.  Oops.  Jesus counteracts a curse word, right?  More math.

“Bless you,” as I traced a cross on his forehead.

“Blessssssss ewe.”  Not quite it, but I’ll take it.

We stood a bit.  Silently. Reverently. Calmly.

“Bye, Jesus!”

“Byyyyyyyeeeee! Jeeessssusss.”

As we walked calmly away, I thought that in the midst of a busy day, even a two year old can benefit from a moment of silence, meditation, prayer.  I buckled his seat and he waved, “Bye, Jesuuuusss!”