My Twice Baked Potato

Because it is August and I am a working elementary teacher, my thoughts get muddled in my head this time of year.  I really want to enjoy the remaining weeks of summer, but I’m never far away from the growing “to do” list that tells me what I need to purchase or prepare for my classroom.  It might surprise you, what a teacher’s list looks like in August…It certainly doesn’t begin after Labor Day like many might think 🙂

My son and I left the house with a long list of errands.  I looked in the rear view mirror and I was surprised at how much of his head that I could see.  Being a parent, I was used to stopping at lights and stretching a bit, so that I could see my most precious cargo’s face before the light turned green.  Today…no stretching necessary.

“Are you sitting all the way on the seat?”

“Yes…of course!  Why wouldn’t I?”

This was just another obvious sign of his recent growth spurt that has caused him to outgrow recently purchased school clothes and eat non-stop throughout the day!

He continued sharing his most recent Mine Craft trivia that he recently gained from a tutorial.  I have to be honest, I hear SO much about it, that  on this drive…I smile and nod my head instead of taking the time to stop him for clarification.  The day before, I made the mistake and asked a question that “I should have known if I had been listening.” My son was quite disgusted that I hadn’t picked up all of the hints that he had shared.

For some reason, I spontaneously started singing a song that my Kindergarten students loved as I was driving toward our first stop.  If you are an educator or a parent, you might know the Apples and Bananas song.  Each time you sing the verse, you switch the long vowel sounds so “e” would be “EEpples and Baneenees.”  You must excuse the spelling because I have no idea how these words should appear in a book!

Normally, my son hates when I start to sing a song in the car.  He loves a good Mine Craft parody or a little Katy Perry, but that’s it.

However, on this afternoon, he smiled a large grin and started tapping his legs.  I stopped after one verse and expected that he would be content with that; instead, he begged for more.  Each time, he wanted me to continue and each time I did, he smiled and giggled.

Here’s the funny thing, my son has always loved words and rhyming words, but when he was little…he hated this song!  He covered his ears and would drown me out with “No thank you, Mama!  No thank you!”  Today, he was enjoying a tune that he should have enjoyed years ago but wouldn’t…or couldn’t.

See a few years back, he struggled with flexibility.  The idea of changing the words to a song was annoying and upsetting to him.  Now…he sees the humor in it and has the flexibility to appreciate the intent of the song.

When I was done singing, I told him that he once hated this song.

“Really?”  He seemed shocked at the news.  “How could I have ever hated such a fun song?”

“I don’t know…I wondered that myself.”

For a few minutes, we were both quiet.  Maybe we were each contemplating his progress and maturity toward this song and other things.

“Well…I don’t know why I hated it, but I love to hear you sing it now.”  He smiled a big toothy smile and leaned up to pat me on the shoulder.

My son, I will sing it as long as you want to hear it!