I can hear him walking up the stairs, the smallest feet in the house making the biggest sound.
I keep my head bent toward my laptop.
I hear the jangling of his wrestling with the door knob. Then he gives up. And, truthfully? I’m glad. There’s a lot to get done after a week away.
“Please play wit me?”
His words are muffled by the thick door. But I hear him.
“Not right now,” I shout. “I’m working.”
Half an hour later he returns, fumbles with the knob again, gives up again, yells again.
“Not right now. I’m still working.”
The third time his tugging and turning gets him in, a smile beaming from brown.
“Why you work?” he asks.
There’s no easy answer for a four year-old. And how do I communicate the answer to a boy who speaks without most definite articles and subordinate conjunctions?
I try distilling free market capitalism into Tonto sized bites.
“I work. People give Daddy money for work. I use money to buy house and water for bath and food.”
His eyebrows scrunch for a moment. He stares off as if reading a nearby teleprompter slowly scrolling translation. Then his face goes slack with solution.
“My no bath tomorrow.” And by “tomorrow” he means “today.” Time is hard. “My no bath tomorrow and…my no hungry. Please play outside!
Well, you have a point, I thought.
And that’s why I haven’t returned your e-mails yet.
Blame him.
Emily @ The Pilot's Wife says:
My son asks the same thing from my husband.
He told him once, “I work so we can buy you more trains (his favorite toy)” my son’s reply: “I don’t need anymore trains. I need you to play with me.”
Shot to the heart.
Jessica says:
Sure, the ole blame-the-cute-indian-kid-who-looks-curiously-like-his-american-father trick.
Real original. ๐
Amy says:
Oh, wow, Shaun. A kid that knows where it’s at.
My son broke my heart the other day when he told me that he was going to work for the neighbor so we would have more money.
Barbara says:
Oh ya? Bring it! he looks small. I think I could take him. Unless he challenges me to a monkey bar duel. Then I’m sunk. ๐ Welcome home, and may the Lord miraculously multiply your time and energy with that gorgeous family of yours.
Kelli says:
Dude, you’re in trouble with that kid. A killer smile that melts your heart AND top notch reasoning skills? Who needs conjunctions?!
I wouldn’t blame you if you never worked again.?.
Angie says:
Play away. The days are fleeting, emails are forever.
Vicki Small says:
Work is never done. Kids are gone all too soon, grown, running around with their friends, off to college, married…whatever the reason, they are gone, way too soon.
Even one of our sponsored kids, older than your young’un, said in a letter, “I want your love.” They know what’s important!
Ruth Abel says:
I love this kid. And thank you for again reminding me that sometimes, running outside to play with a little person is more important than anything else. I need this reminder daily!
Katie Axelson says:
Awe!!
Katie
Anne says:
my 3 year old granddaughter and I on the phone discussing why her daddy goes to work.
She says “Well, somebody has to go to work or they will come to our house and Kick Us OUT!”
Seems they have had this conversation at home previously!
Lisa H says:
So sweet! Playing outside with him is so the right choice. He won’t always be little, but there will always be work to be done. ๐
Melissa says:
Play wit him anytime he wants.. he has a lot of catching up to do! What a sweet boy!
Jen Guarino says:
It’s hard to argue with that. I hope you had a great time playin’
MJ says:
The power of the truth!
Gives concrete proof that “the truth shall set you free” to play ๐
Erika says:
so, so sweet. My 3 y.o. daughter told me during our struggles with unemployment and take-whatever-you-can-get side jobs that she would give all of the money in her piggy bank so that daddy didn’t have to be gone so much. When we are looking at what we “need,” we tend to lose sight of who needs us.
Such a good reminder.
Yvonne says:
Our children need their dads to play with them. The days go too quickly and we never want to look back and wish we had that time again.
I pray you had time to play and to get your work done.
Mike says:
Glad you decided to play – definitely the right choice.
Jason says:
That’s awesome, dude. I love the way a kid sees the world…and that you put e-mails on hold. ๐
Amy Lynne says:
Oh the logic of a child! Bless his heart!
Adam says:
Awesome! I love this! THIS is the epitome of ministry to me. I would much rather be inside “doing work” (and sometimes, of course we must) but so often there are those around us that need our time and attention. I would much rather sit and prepare for the next thing I am working on… but a lunch, cup of coffee, or just some time with those in need is so much deeper of a ministry.
…and besides…isn’t that what Jesus did?
Thanks Shaun, this is great!
Jason says:
Children have a way of getting truth into us in a way that really hits hard. Wonderful post.