The Boogie

This morning while loading the children in the car, I was buckling Jacob's seat belt when he suddenly says, " Mommy, look at this!". I look up and away from the seat belt and there he is sticking out his tongue. A green....uh....something was on the end of it.

"Jacob, what is that?" He didn't answer, still sticking out his tongue.
I repeated myself, "Jacob, what is that? Is that a boogie?"

He quickly pulls in his tongue and smiles very big. "Yeeeessss!"

"Ewwwww. Jacob, Honey, we don't eat our boogies. That's yucky sweetheart. Gross!"

His huge smile faded and gave way to a big bottom lip sticking out. His lip began to curl under and boom, he began sobbing. Huge tears were running down his face and I could see the boogie, now stuck to his front tooth.

I felt instantly horrible. After all, a few boogies here and there won't kill him.

From the back seat Nicholas kicks in. "Mommy, Jacob was eating his boogies?"

"Yes, Nick."

"He is being just like a big boy named Nicholas!", He exclaimed happily.

Great, I thought. Now I have not one but two boogie-eaters. And what's worst, I have a senior boogie-eater egging on a little boogie-eater.

So, back to Jacob...
I felt bad because for that instant, he seemed proud of himself for having that boogie on his tongue. And, I crushed his boogie-eating dreams.

I am sure that is only the tip of the iceberg as far as dream-crushing goes. Hopefully though, in crushing those dreams I can attempt to lead these sweet and precious children of mine in the right direction. And then, when they are old enough that I am no longer there to lead them, they will make the right decisions on their own. (And not eat the boogie)