The Galloway Wonderland: Cohen the Planner

Day dreaming and planning the future. Taking life all in.

(Love these shots. Three of them were all perched on the curb today after school. "Just resting...it was a long day.")

There is a great chance I have used this title once before. Now Cohen really thinks things through and is full of questions. This week is a lovely week for David (great sarcasm inserted hear). He is doing night shifts all week, so he sleeps during the day. We eat dinner together and then he is off to work.

It doesn't take long for them to miss him. This is when the kids voice their opinion a little more about David's schedule. During a dinner conversation the past few days, Cohen brought up his work schedule. He asked David why he worked so much. Between explaining how important David's work was for others and for the family, Cohen pipes in, "I don't want to work when I grow up." We then extended the conversation to the importance of what David does, how important it will be for Cohen to, one day, share his talents with others and support himself and a family doing something he enjoys. We thought we were very positive about it.

Whenever the kids are awake when David leaves for work it is always quite an ordeal. One we seem to share with the entire neighborhood. I don't let them go out the door, because it always ends in a car chase and then another 15 minutes coaxing them inside. Isn't that something dogs do? Anywho, we have a screen door that they chat through with David for a few last words until he is out of site...well at least around the corner. Sometimes they give shout outs when he is well onto the highway. Yes, we are very open with our goodbyes...as our neighbors would agree. On a good day they are shouting out several goodbyes and "I love yous." Some days it is a bit more weepy. Some farewells include requests for David to bring home treats from work (this one occurs most frequently).

Today was...let's say, different. So at this point, only going into his third shift, we are tired and ready for David to be on a regular shift. We usually don't have to endure so many nights of this. We don't know what a routine or regular schedule is as much as we try. After above said dinner conversation, I am guessing this was some extension as Cohen was saying in his own way that he didn't like to see David go. He shouts out through the screen door to the street, "Daaaad, do I have to do anything when I grow up?" I wasn't sure what he meant at the moment, nor did David probably process the whole thing (he was driving away). David responded, out of confusion and to avoid any further stress on Cohen, "No." Cohen responded with both hands in a fist and pulling his elbows in for all to hear, "Yes!" You would think he just won a game.

Well that little game or battle he did win. For now, we will let him enjoy being a kid...while subtly enforcing good work ethics.