Excuses

Ethan came into the kitchen for dinner...

Ethan: Ooooooo... (big sigh) OOOOOOOO..... (BIG dramatic sigh).

No one acknowledges the act.

Ethan: Oh my gooodness! (he holds his tummy and leans forward). I am soooo sick. My tummy hurts soooo much. (more dramatic sighs with fabulous accompanying facial expressions).

No reaction from the crowd. Everyone is busily getting their food.

Ethan: Mooommmm! Will you feel my forehead please? I think I am sick.

I touch my lips to his foreheard.

Me: Nope - you're fine.

Ethan: I think I am too sick to go to school tomorrow.

Paul: Oh! Hurry! Get up to bed! You're sick! Off to bed you go! Hurry hurry!

Ethan: Whyyyyy?

Paul: Because you're sick. Sick boys need to go to bed.

Ethan: But it is not bedtime!

Paul: That doesn't matter. If you're sick you need to rest. So hop up to bed and get your jammies on.

Ethan: Nooooo....

pause

He sits on the floor in the middle of the kitchen... he is working on Plan B.

Ethan: Can't I just not go to school tomorrow?

Ah - Plan B is pretty straight forward: Just ask for what you want.

Paul: Are you sick so you don't have to go to school tomorrow?

Ethan: I want to stay home tomorrow.

Me: Well no one else will be home tomorrow. Are you going to stay by yourself?

Ethan: (sigh) Why can't I just stay home?

Me: Because.

pause

Ethan: Argh. Fine!

He gets up and picks up his bowl of chili and proceeds to gobble it up.

If he's not going to get to stay home, by God, he's not going to bed early AND he will have his chili.