Honesty

Yesterday, when I picked Lo up from camp, she was excited to show me the award she'd won. Only four dog tags per group were bestowed, honoring them for embodying the qualities of RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, CARING, and HONESTY.

I oohed and aahed over her prize, all the while wondering how in the world... I mean, seriously, the big joke around here is all the ways we have of identifying when the child is lying--how she pushes the inside of her cheek with her tongue or looks at our ears when she's talking to us.

Later, at home, I was in the kitchen, unloading the dishwasher as always, and she was watching cartoons in the sunroom, where I could hear but not see her, and this conversation took place:

TR: Hey, do you mind coming with me to run a few errands? [I know she's tired after being at camp all day, hence the special consideration.]

Lo: What kind of errands?

TR: I want to take Fay to PetSmart to get her nails clipped and then go to the bike store to exchange the shoes your dad bought me.

Lo: Weren't they a present?

TR: Yeah.

Lo: Why are you exchanging them?

TR: They don't fit.

Lo: So you're just going to get another size?

TR: No, the smaller size was too small and the larger size was too large, so I'm going to try on some different ones. But to tell you the truth, they're not the kind I wanted anyway. I want the kind that look more like hiking shoes--that I can walk around in.

Lo: Aren't you afraid that will hurt Dad's feelings?

TR: I don't think it will. Besides, he doesn't have to know that, since the ones he bought don't fit anyway. Just don't say anything.

(Silence)

(Silence)

(Silence)

Lo: Mom.

TR: What?

Lo: I was with Dad when he bought those shoes. I pretty much picked them out.

TR: [Suddenly feeling like crap] Well, Lo, I didn't know that. Did I just hurt your feelings?

(Silence)

TR: Lo?

Lo: Yeah, I wasn't really with him.