What a 12 Year Old Knows About Driving in The Rain

A number of the male species in my family are organizationally challenged. They have been known to forget to put their laundry in the dirty wash pile, clear the plates from the table or  have difficulty remembering to take their forms/phones/school ID/homework with them to school.

You get the idea.

I got a panicked message today from Jacob, my 12 year old who had left his English book by his bed, at home. 

I received 3 emails in the space of an hour. An hour in which I did not look at my phone because I was at an appointment. 

By the time I checked my email...(he had also left his cell phone at home)...the messages were pleading with lots of exclamation marks. I suggested that since the English lesson was over,  he should take a deep breath and just bring the book in tomorrow. 

His response - please would I still bring it. He could show the notes he had annotated in it, to his English teacher later in the day. 

I decided, (breaking all the rules in the parent handbook) that I would deliver the book.  This organizational piece is something Jacob  finds so difficult, even with checklists, night-before backpack packing and morning reminders in place. I wrote and told him I would leave it at the front desk for him. 

These are the two emails I then received from Jacob: 

       From: Jacob Cannon 
          Subject: Re: Book
          Date: October 7, 2013 11:34:11 AM EDT
          To: Gilly Cannon 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

Followed immediately by 

From: Jacob Cannon 

Subject: Re: Book

Date: October 7, 2013 11:34:24 AM EDT

To: Gilly Cannon

dont come while its raining really hard though

I was staggered. Out the dining room window, I was watching sheets of rain reduce visibility to zero. I had already decided to wait it out.

In the midst of his panic, Jacob had noted the extreme weather and cautioned me to take care. He might be disorganized and need a reminder about apostrophes, but his heart is absolutely in the right place. 

At the end of the day when I asked him if he had collected the book from the front desk, he slapped his hand to his forehead and  looked at me sheepishly. No. He had forgotten........sigh.

If I could just put his organizational skills in his heart, he'd never forget a thing. I know that hopefully in the long run he will find ways to compensate for the things he finds challenging. 

But truly if you ask me what's important. 

It's teaching him gratitude, empathy and care - I think he's got that down pat.

What would you have done? 

Now we need to brainstorm a full proof method for remembering all these things......

Gillyx

P.S. Yes I asked him. He was emailing during science.....oy. Next time he's on his own.

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Thank you! 

 Please email me at gilly@bringingbooksofcomfort.org or leave a comment on this post below. I'd love to have your feedback. 

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