Timing: Clay and Microwaves

I came home Friday evening to splatters of brown clay all over my kitchen. There was clay on the blinds, clay on the cupboards, clay on the floor, clay on the drawer handle, clay on the microwave, clay IN the microwave, clay on the dishes in the sink...do you get the picture? 

I couldn't deal with it. First, I wasn't in the mood to hunt down the culprit. Secondly, I was annoyed and didn't want to get mad at whomever was responsible for the fiasco. Lastly, I didn't want to worry about clean up at 10 PM. So, I left it until Saturday morning. 

While making breakfast the next morning, I noticed the clay again. With a fresh mind-set and the ability to cope with the issue, I set out to investigate what happened while I was out for the evening. I started asking questions and quickly discovered that my nine year old boy was responsible.

I had someone wake him up and then waited for him to REALLY wake up. After 15 minutes, I questioned him about the clay. He relayed the following account:

Son: "My friend gave me some clay and I was trying to make something with it. It was so hard so I put it in the microwave to soften it."

Mom: "How long did you put it in the microwave?"

Son: "50 seconds"

Mom: "Then what happened?"

Son: "I picked it up and it was so hot. I dropped it on the floor in the kitchen and the clay went all over."

After hearing the story, I was glad I didn't get upset at him the night before. I was grateful I had "slept on it" because I realized he didn't do it on purpose; it was an unfortunate accident and he felt sorry about it. (Truthfully, I laughed when I told Sam about it later. I couldn't help myself!)

We talked about not putting clay in the microwave again and then I told him that he'd need to clean it up. I showed him the best way to clean it and an hour later, the task was finished. He didn't complain about it; I think he was relieved that he wasn't in trouble!

(No pictures. Some child deleted them off the camera before I could copy them to my computer. Maybe it's for the best...)

Dealing with stressful situations is all in the timing. Of course, we can't always leave the mess for another day; a toddler covered in soap can't be sent to bed and left to clean up the next day, nor can a jug of syrup spilled all over the floor be left for everyone to step in. But, even a few minutes to "get a grip" can do wonders for our attitude and the outcome.

Now, how do I remember this the next time one of my children jumps off the bunk bed and onto another bed, hitting the ceiling light and shattering it to pieces?

More to Come...but until then, Stick-to-it!