Yesterday, as usual, Sammy, Georgie and I sat in car line eagerly awaiting Riley's arrival.
Like most afternoons we sat quietly as they read the names and the children headed out to their cars. Riley hears her name and like a rock just released from a slingshot she explodes from the sidewalk and rockets to the car. I wince as she approaches the door hoping she will be able to stop.
As usual once she is inside the once quiet car turns into an explosion of energy. "I GOT A SUCKER AT SCHOOL!" She not so casually announces.
Sammy begins her chorus, "sucker, sucker, sucker, sucker" with her pudgy hand outstretched.
"she got a sucker!" George begins to wail and breaks down into tears of injustice.
I turn around and face the wheel. I take a deep breath and decided to let the situation play itself out. She has been in the car for one minute and that has been one exhausting minute.
We begin our drive out of the school parking lot and the car goes eerily quiet. For a second I am afraid they have all killed each other over a tootsie pop and it would be best not to turn around. I look anyway. They are all sitting quietly happily munching away.
"What happened?' I ask.
"I took a bite and then George took a bite and then we gave Sammy the rest." Riley informs me. I almost burst into tears. While sharing may not be that big a thing to some people, for a mom that has been attempting to instill it in her children for the better part of 7 years, this was quiet a victory.
I know, for all you germaphobes out there, that this story is appalling and there is no happy ending. However, for me, I am willing to overlook the incredible risk of all my kids getting the flu in order to have a quiet ride home.
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