Trauma! ;)

So, yesterday Maggie was working on a poster she had to make for school. She decided to use the paint, but had some trouble getting them to come out. Big brother Thomas offered to help. Can you see where this is going? I'm in my office and I hear a loud gasp from Maggie. I look at Scot and say, "Did you hear that?" We both listen quietly. Nothing.

"Maggie, what happened?"

"Uh, Thomas squeezed the paint really hard and it came out everywhere!"

That was an understatement! But the worst part was that it ruined Maggie's poster. She began to cry when she realized she had to start over from scratch. That didn't surprise me. Maggie is sensitive and cries readily during times of crisis. What did surprise me is what followed.

I heard Thomas crying in his room. Sobbing, really, but don't tell him I told you all! I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Mama, I'm so sorry I ruined Maggie's poster! It was an accident and I feel terrible. And I'm sorry that I got paint all over everything, too."

Remorse? Genuine sadness at having caused someone else pain? Don't get me wrong, Thomas is a sensitive kid. But he also spends his time teasing and tormenting his younger siblings until they cry. And then he laughs. To see him so genuinely upset because of what had happened did my heart good.

After calming down, taking a shower, and regrouping, Maggie was ready to give it another shot. The best part is that Thomas offered to help her out and they worked on the project together. We even had enough time for 3 rounds of Bananagrams before bed!

Ahhh...the adventures of raising 4 kids. They're never-ending, really.