suggestable mind

Lately the Pirate has been asking us to tell him bedtime stories. Not from a book, but a made-up story. Hubs is amazing at making up stories that are appealing to this little boy. He tells about Thomas and Percy, and races on the Island of Soradoor. He tells about mud and splashing and hauling important freight.

I'm not so good at making up these stories.

The other night Pirate asked me for a story and my brain was just too tired to even come up with anything new, so I decided to tell him a story about him.

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Pirate. His ears perked. Pirate's mom thought it was time for him to learn how to swim. So she enrolled him in swim lessons. I had his full attention.

The day came for his first lesson. His mom drove him to the place with the pool, and took him inside. It was nice and warm inside, and there was a big pool to splash and swim in. His mom took him into a bathroom, and put him in his blue swim diaper. Then it was time for his lesson. He got into the pool, and he didn't cry at all! And he did everything that his teacher asked him to do, he did so good!...

I went on, outlining exactly all the details from his first lesson -which did go fabulously. Minus, of course, the melt-down afterwards because I told him, "no" on the sucker he saw on our way out. I'd told him "next time" and he just lost it. Then I continued telling the story.

Then the next lesson came, and the Pirate got to put on his blue swim diaper again. He got in the pool, and the water was nice and warm! This time his teacher asked him to blow bubbles in the water, but he would not do it. He floated on his back, and stretched his arms out like an airplane! He did so good! But he would not blow bubbles in the water. He would not do it. He kicked his legs and stretched out his arms, just like his teacher asked. He did so good! But when she asked him to put his bubbles in the water, he would not do it. She asked and asked, but he would not do it. She had the other kids show him how. They could do it! He would not. He would not do it. So, Pirate's mom said, "Pirate, if you don't do as your teacher asks, if you don't blow your bubbles into the water, you will not get your sucker at the end." And still, the Pirate would not do it. So the lesson ended, and he did not get his sucker and he cried and cried and cried. He was so sad he didn't get his sucker.

This is exactly what happened. But, not wanting to end on such a disappointing note, I projected into the future...

Then the time came for his third lesson. This time the Pirate was going to be brave. He was going to blow bubbles into the water, he was going to get his sucker! So he put on his blue swim diaper, and got into the water, and when his teacher asked him to blow bubbles into the water, he did it! He did it! And his mom cheered, "Yay! Pirate!" and his teacher was so happy, she said, "Good job Mr. Pirate! Good job!" And everyone was happy, and he got a sucker.

At this point, his eyes were swirling into the back of his head, and I gave his back a pat and went to my own bed.

At 1:00 he woke up screaming. And At 2:45. And At 3:30. And At 4:27. It was a long night of, "Pirate. What is wrong? Quit crying. Do you want some water? What is wrong? Go. To. Sleep."

In the morning, I said to him, "What was wrong last night? Where you having bad dreams?"
"Yes." He said.
"What happened in your dreams?" I asked.
"I didn't get a sucker."

Oops.