The Chocolate Chips Incident

Earlier this week I was getting ready to take Fletcher to sports camp. He walked into my bathroom and I noticed what looked and smelled like chocolate on the corners of his mouth. Keep in mind it is 8:30 am.

Mom: Have you been eating something chocolate?
Fletcher: No

We've been having some trouble with him lying about various things like whether he washed his hands before dinner.

Mom: I can see food on your face. Show me what you ate.
Fletcher: Ok

We start the Walk of Shame from my bathroom to the kitchen pantry. Only he doesn't go to the kitchen. He starts walking down the hall to his room! Huh? He goes to his nightstand beside his bed and opens the bottom drawer. Well, hello there Nestle Tollhouse Semi-sweet Morsels. Yes, the chocolate chips I use for BAKING! not SNACKING (well only sometimes if there is no chocolate in the entire house and the boys are sleeping)! Only 1/8 of the bag is left. I can't remember how many were in there to begin with. Guess that tells you how long it's been since I've baked any cookies. I didn't even know he knew they were in the pantry.

Mom: How long have these been in here?
Fletcher: (who still doesn't have a good grasp of time concepts) Since yesterday.

My heart starts skipping every other beat as I envision him with freshly brushed teeth popping the semi-sweet morsels long after we thought he was sleeping. I tried to find the balance between laughter and appropriate parenting.

We had a long talk about lying, deception, boundaries, hiding things from mom and dad, how God always sees everything and how bugs really like sweets and that nightstand is mighty close to the bed that he sleeps in on a nightly basis.

Time to make some cookies.