creative boy / mommies and daddies in jail

We were pretty desperate for Knox to get in to CLUE.
Stands for Creative Learning in a Unique Environment.
To get in, Knox had to go take a test with a lady
whose name is Mrs. Snow at Grahamwood Elementary
and sit in a class without windows.

Let's just say he lost it.

He had a bad meltdown and Andrea had to apologize to Mrs. Snow
who kindly let us reschedule for a different day.
When Andrea and Knox got back home,
we were pretty flustered and Andrea mentioned to Knox
that parents could go to jail if their children don't go to school.
I tried not to laugh.

I told Andrea I'd take him to his second appointment.
We bribed him with a Transformers toy
and told him you can have it after you take the test.
I also thought of literally every single word and action
I could put forth to make him feel more comfortable the second time.
I looked up Mrs. Snow's photo online to see if maybe
we could put it next to his bed so she becomes less of a stranger
(I couldn't find her photo).

And when I took him to the school for round two of test-taking,
I acted like I was uncomfortable and lost and
I asked Knox if he could show me where the room is
and introduce me to Mrs. Snow.
This all worked wonders.
He went in to the room like nothing
was going to stop him from getting that toy.

Well, he didn't pass the test, which is obviously not a big deal.
Knox is an average kid in an average family
and I honestly kind of appreciate that about us.
I especially appreciate that,
despite needing to work with him on his math
(he's four after all)
he scored the highest score possible in "creativity".
That's my boy.

_____

The other night, I was putting Knox to bed
and he asked me to sing him a "Me and Knoxy Song",
a song I sing to him and Darcy every night.
I just make up stuff to the melody of Old MacDonald
or Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer or Baby Beluga.
I asked, "What do you want me to sing the song about?"
And he pointed to the art above his bed that I made for him,
which has all of these cars on it.

He pointed to the cop car and said, "The police car."
And I started singing in the melody of Old MacDonald,
"Knox and daddy were on the street
when a cop car whizzed on by.
It was probly gonna get some bad guys
from committing bad crimes
with a burglary over here
and a speeding ticket there
burglary here
speeding ticket everywhere..."

and Knox stopped me mid-song and said,
"And they'll put mommies and daddies
in jail if their kids don't go to school."
And he looked at me very seriously.