Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 31.

Chillin' at the mall.

Goodbye full, 5-day week of school; haven't seen you in awhile and it'll be awhile until I see you again.
Goodbye soothing sore throats, steam showers, and dinner-in-bed.
Goodbye newly added Webkinz addition, Midnight Monster named Patches who happens to share a birthday with our wedding anniversary - sweet coincidence.
Goodbye strange, up and down weather patterns that didn't play nice with my sinuses.
Goodbye enjoying spending time, talking, and sharing with a great friend that encourages me and believes in me more than I do sometimes - thanks.

Hello Winter Fest fun, inflatables, and Glee Club performing the National Anthem before the basketball game - so proud of my son and all those participating.
Hello to no sleeping-in and dragging our tired bodies to the dentist; I know it's only twice a year so I shouldn't complain.
Hello watching The African Queen before returning it to the library to avoid a late fee and attempting to keep my library account fee-free in 2012.
Hello eating healthier, getting in more exercise, and cleaning up our act as well as our house.
Hello cool Valentine's Day craft I'll be working on that will end up as a guest post very soon on Fine Craft Guild's blog - so honored and psyched to be invited to do this.

This week's lessons learned had a trickle-down effect. My son's learned lesson was the seed that sprouted into my revelation this week; a key to parenting, I think. Long story short, my son bought a toy through Amazon, a Beyblade, with his own money. Looking at the Amazon listing anyone would think it was that exact pictured Beyblade that would be showing up at our door. When the package arrived my son's excitement and anticipation went through the roof as he peeled open the package's tape. The box, all in Japanese, that was to house this "Super-Rare" Beyblade (here's where you insert an ooooooh!) had pictures of said-Bey (lingo for Beyblade, gotta be hip to the lingo) all over the packaging, highlighting said-Bey on every side of the box. My son frantically opened the box and voila!, not the Bey on the box; not the Bey pictured in the Amazon listing; no Super-Rare Bey today, my friend.

Japanese Marketing

My son started weeping, which turned into crying, which turned into an all-out waterworks-fest. I called Amazon, they are kindly crediting our son his money when we return the Beyblade. Come to find, the Japanese box is intended to be a "random" Beyblade buy. Although never indicated in the listing, the box contains a random Bey; it may have the super-rare one, it may not. Ahh, Japanese marketers are little stinkers and tricksters, aren't they?

I looked at my son and tried to be as compassionate as I possibly could but I couldn't help but think, "buyer-beware", he just got the lesson. He should feel lucky he'll recoup the money he spent. But, alas, a little boy's heart was broken.

Said-Bey highlighted all over the box!

My lessons learned: I think broken hearts can be good for the soul, no matter what the age. I think disappointment offers its own gifts, if we just unwrap it. I felt badly for my son's disappointment, but I also accepted the situation as an opportunity, an example, that not everyone plays fair in this world, that life isn't meant to be rosy and peachy-keen all the time. There will be times of disappointment and there will be feelings of being taken, sometimes. But, it's in the way you deal with the circumstance that builds character.

Life's lessons, if you seize the opportunity as a parent, can begin in the sandbox!


Have a beautiful weekend, friends! See you on Gratitude Journal Monday.