Monday night was Curriculum Night at Henry’s school. I was nervous about it this year because I am *drum roll* a ROOM MOM. Don’t ask me what made me sign up to do it other than I’ve obviously lost my mind or I thought for some reason I’d be good at it. I don’t know. Seems ok so far.

Anyway, being Room Mom means I had to actually TALK in front of the parents at Curriculum Night and explain the new sign up system for parties and room volunteers. Of course, I turned all red and stuff and felt like my Southern accent was oh-so-thick. But it was all fine. I lived, didn’t faint or anything, and didn’t say dammit or hell or shitballs. Phew.

But the reason for the title has more to do with Henry. Before I left home, I asked him if I could look at his stuff at his place at the table.

HL: Sure, just don’t look at my writing notebook.

Me: Why not?

HL: Well, I lied.

Me: What? What in the world did you lie about?

HL: We had to write about a trip we loved and I wrote about going to Puerto Rico.

Me: But we haven’t BEEN to Puerto Rico.

HL: I know. I lied and said we went and that it was fun and that I saw frogs.

So of course, the first thing I did when I got there, other than signing him up for Cub Scouts, was look at the writing notebook. I mean, you would, too!

Sho’nuff, the boy had written about our “trip to Puerto Rico” and made it sound really great. It had pictures and everything! We apparently went hiking, saw frogs, went to the beach, stayed in a hotel… who wouldn’t want to go on that trip? Right?

But he did lie. I don’t know what the assignment was. I’m sure it was like “Tell me what you did on summer vacation” but I’m not sure. He’s only in first grade, so I’m not sure they’re really doing “creative writing” yet, but maybe he decided to take some creative liberties and make up his own story. But it wasn’t true.

I want him to follow directions in class, but at the same time, I love that his imagination takes him to different places. Places he knows nothing about but longs to see. I’m actually not sure how he would even know about Puerto Rico except his cousins have been there.

He’s constantly making up stories, making plans for his “club”, talking about the restaurant he’s going to have and coming up with new M&Ms products for Jason to pass on to his client! He’s a super creative kid. I can only assume that’s a by-product of being the only child in the house. It’s a necessary trait.