Matthew my 3rd grader - the criminal.

     After Patrick’s wonderful sleep away camp was over, we made the decision that maybe this wasn’t going to work out for our younger son Matthew. As Patrick went on about how horrible it was for him, he did speak so highly of the “ knife badge” project. He proudly displayed his knives when he got home and I was shocked to see not one but two switch blades! I guess I didn’t know what to expect to see in reference to the knives. Maybe I was hoping to see a butter knife or plastic knife for that matter. Patrick could take these knives down to the South Bronx (no disrespect) and hold his own! Need-less-to-say I told him to put them away and to not bring them out. Mother of the year, I should have taken them right then and there. But no………

       It was about a week or so after Patrick came home with the knives that it was a Wednesday (you never forget the day,) when I got a call from Matthew’s elementary school principal saying Matthew was in the office and for me to come pick him up. The principal was calling? She was so nice as I couldn’t hold back my shock that my “sweet, quiet child” needed to be picked up.  “For what may I ask?” She calmly said, “he pulled a switch blade out in the boys bathroom to give to his friend to show his brother how cool it was.” I nearly fell off my chair and couldn’t breath. She said that Matthew was sobbing telling her he didn’t mean any harm that he thought showing it to his friend  was really cool. I went immediately to the school to find Matthew in her office, red face and snot running down. What was I suppose to do? I just stood there - arms crossed and gave him that look like, what the heck?  The principal said they had to suspend him due to school regulations on weapons. Weapons? Ugh. He was supposed to get one week but she felt sorry for him and gave him only three days suspension which would go on his record. Great, my third grader - the criminal.

         His first day of incarceration, I mean at home, we went to daily mass where all the little old ladies thought that was really nice I brought my son to mass. Ok, forgive me Father, for I have sinned, I just smiled and yes, it was.  For three long days, my son tried to convince me that it wasn’t his fault, that “stupid Patrick” shouldn’t have brought them home. After his stint was up, I was convinced that being a lawyer was in my son’s future. Now he is a junior in high school with only a year left to go before he is off to college and who knows, maybe it will come true! Sometimes, things happen for a reason!  Ton o’ blessings to ya until next time!