The phone rang about 2pm. I was at work. The caller ID said the call was from our small town clinic. For the life of me I couldn't think of why the clinic would be calling. I answered, expecting it to be the office manager and something about insurance on the other end.
It was the doctor. He said his name and then, as if I didn't know who he was automatically, he started explaining who he was. I was stunned and my mind started racing. "Why is he calling?" Do I have something horrible? Trying to anticipate what he would say next, I went a little berserk.
He said the call wouldn't take long. He said he'd written himself a note as a reminder to call.
WHAT ON EARTH!?
He says that he knows it takes a village to raise a child and he hopes if I found his children doing something good or bad that I would call him.
Now I'm thinking someone is going to die and I continued to listen to find out which one and why.
He said that he had not gotten to spend much time with our oldest outside of the clinic.
And that's the one who's done for. I get it now. How long is just unreasonable to be grounded? That's how long it will be before this kid sees daylight!
Then he said that we must be doing something right. That he really enjoyed spending time with him the night before. His oldest is the same age and a whole bunch of kids were at their house the night before. He said our child was polite and respectful and really fun to be around. Our child even stayed back when other kids went outside to help clean up.
I almost wanted to text him a photo of the child to make sure that we were talking about the same kid.
As he spoke, I felt that lump in my throat coming on. The one where you know it's going to be an ugly cry if you don't hold it together. I couldn't say too much for fear of shaking shoulder and snot.
I was overwhelmed that the doctor would take time to stop his day, his busy clinic, to call me to brag on my child. After I hung up I just sat there in my chair in my office in stunned silence. Thinking about what just happened. I waited quite a while before I told anyone about the call.
What if we all made calls. Parenting is tough. Far too often we keep things to ourselves. We don't speak up. We hesitate to call. We get bust and forget. I'm going to make a point to call someone, to brag on someone's child, to let some other parent know that I see them. I appreciate their efforts.
It was the doctor. He said his name and then, as if I didn't know who he was automatically, he started explaining who he was. I was stunned and my mind started racing. "Why is he calling?" Do I have something horrible? Trying to anticipate what he would say next, I went a little berserk.
He said the call wouldn't take long. He said he'd written himself a note as a reminder to call.
WHAT ON EARTH!?
He says that he knows it takes a village to raise a child and he hopes if I found his children doing something good or bad that I would call him.
Now I'm thinking someone is going to die and I continued to listen to find out which one and why.
He said that he had not gotten to spend much time with our oldest outside of the clinic.
And that's the one who's done for. I get it now. How long is just unreasonable to be grounded? That's how long it will be before this kid sees daylight!
Then he said that we must be doing something right. That he really enjoyed spending time with him the night before. His oldest is the same age and a whole bunch of kids were at their house the night before. He said our child was polite and respectful and really fun to be around. Our child even stayed back when other kids went outside to help clean up.
I almost wanted to text him a photo of the child to make sure that we were talking about the same kid.
As he spoke, I felt that lump in my throat coming on. The one where you know it's going to be an ugly cry if you don't hold it together. I couldn't say too much for fear of shaking shoulder and snot.
I was overwhelmed that the doctor would take time to stop his day, his busy clinic, to call me to brag on my child. After I hung up I just sat there in my chair in my office in stunned silence. Thinking about what just happened. I waited quite a while before I told anyone about the call.
What if we all made calls. Parenting is tough. Far too often we keep things to ourselves. We don't speak up. We hesitate to call. We get bust and forget. I'm going to make a point to call someone, to brag on someone's child, to let some other parent know that I see them. I appreciate their efforts.
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