I have this pantry cupboard in the garage. It’s where I keep the food that the kids are most likely to go through but I need them not to…It’s where I keep The Good Stuff; the juice boxes, the snacks, chips, cookies, beef jerky etc…anything that I need to ration out. It has a hasp and a combination lock.
One of my most clever children will try to peek when I work the combo in order to try to learn it. I have had experience with Peek Sneakers. I had a boy in 8th grade named Charlie who had his locker next to mine. In fact we often had lockers next to each other because of where our names were in the alphabet. P-e- and P-o-. Anyway, he was quite a bit taller than me. It’s not hard when you are 5’ 4”. He would look over my shoulder as I did my combo, then slam my locker shut so I had to do it again. SLAM! I would do my combo again. SLAM! And repeat. In eighth grade, I was not yet into my intellectual prime. He learned my combination. So, some mornings I would come in and my locker would be standing open. One time, he gave out or opened my locker for another boy who had a crush on me so that he could put a bouquet of carnations in my locker on Valentine’s day. I did not appreciate the sentiment at the time because I was crushing on someone else at the time. But a girl never forgets the boy who first gives her flowers and it was in part thanks to Charlie. He has also given me the awareness of how to protect my combination from the prying eyes of an almost 10 year old boy.
This week, I was in a rush and was not diligent with my replacement of the lock after gathering the assortment of items for lunches. I put the lock up on top of the cupboard and didn’t lock it. My darling daughter discovered it and did help herself to a snack. I was OK with that. But then dear son figured it out and hid the lock but of course when questioned his reply was “I don’t know, Mom. I haven’t seen it in a long time. I would never, ever, ever take it because that is wrong.”
Kiddo, quit while you are ahead. The more you talk, the more unbelievable you sound (Shhh, maybe I shouldn’t give away that secret!).
I have searched that garage and all the funny little crevices a smarty-pants 9 ½ year old might think to hide something he did not want found because he can then indulge himself and drink all the Capri Sun’s he wants and help himself to beef jerky when he thinks I don’t know. Except that he leaves the wrappers all over the place.
Kiddo, if you are going to take food, hide the evidence!
I have searched every couch cushion, under the couches, in drawers, in pockets and closets. I have been unable to find the padlock. So, I wrote it down on my shopping list, grumbling to myself all the while. This will teach me to be more diligent in the future. But then the kids should be learning something too when we run out of their favorite lunch items because they have eaten them all for snacks.
And don’t come crying to me because I am IMPERVIOUS to your tears. Do you hear me? IMPERVIOUS and IMMOVABLE. I am a rock.
Friday is trash day and I always forget about it, so I every week, I am making a mad dash around the house gathering trash bags and emptying waste baskets and the litter box in hopes that I will beat the garbage truck to the curb. I have not missed it yet but it does not mean I have not broken a sweat in my attempt.
Today was no different. But when I opened the garbage can to toss in some stray garbage, laying on top of a white trash bag, practically glistening like a beacon was the silver combination lock for the cupboard. I giggled and did a little jig as I walked over to the cupboard.
Oh, children, you are clever. But HA, HA, HA…you are not clever enough! The cupboard is locked yet again! NO TREATS FOR YOU!!!
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