Many years ago when I would collect my eldest son from preschool I used to watch the other mothers gathering their children’s paintings and drawings from the line and I remember thinking… I wish I had some paintings to take home.
Brooke came along a few years later and that was a different story, there were so many paintings to collect. And not only paintings, there were many ‘creations’ made from cereal boxes and, much to my horror, empty toilet roll holders.
With younger brother in my arms, paintings and Brooke in hand, I looked at the creations and thought, I wonder if I could forget these. We made it through the gate, into the car, seatbelts on, ignition started and on our way, then I heard a little voice “what about my buildings?” “Oh lets get them tomorrow darling” I would say. Then came the silence and the look, a look that said ‘I have worked so hard to create those buildings, how could you leave them there overnight’. Back to the preschool, out of our seatbelts through the gate (perhaps they may have thrown them out) but oh, we are not too late, they are still there. Two days of Pre School a week and those paintings and creations began to accumulate.
Then, one day, I thought all my Christmas’ had come at once. Miss four year old Brooke was upset with me and as she stomped up the stairs halfway up, she turned and said in her stern voice “Well, you needn’t think I’m going to paint any more paintings for you at pre school.” YES, I silently said to myself but of course, that threat didn’t last and we were back to collecting numerous paintings that very next day.
Although her ‘buildings’ have long gone, I still have all those paintings today because for some reason when I go to throw them out I still see her little face with the expression of ‘how could you do that’!
