Kitty Cat Tails

Wow, a 3 day weekend and my kiddos made it through without much more than a hint of bickering. I am amazed at the change that has been brought about by school. It seems like the time that they are separated from each other at school is a good thing. What a loving wonderful gaggle of siblings. At the time I did not realize it. However, I now realize that it does seem logical that if they are not using there energies against each other they still have the capacity for evil. They still have the pent up energy. It still must go somewhere.

It makes sense enough now. I probably should have seen it coming. School brought harmony. That just meant they weren't using their powers against each other. Of course, that does not mean they lost there powers entirely. They just changed who they were using them on.

By Labor Day I was complacent. Happy kids. Happy wife. I will tell you, I was one happy Daddy. The kids had been spectacular all weekend. Incredible. The planets were aligned. I had been lulled into a false sense of security. As I sat while Sydney read a book to me, I heard silence from the ceiling above me head. I am clever. I knew that was potentially a bad thing. Kids and silence don't generally mix well. Thankfully, that was quickly followed by some footsteps and some giggles. Ah, I was back to relaxing. Graham and Ainsley were happily playing.

This went on for quite a while. I had become complacent. My kiddos, for all practical purposes, sounded perfectly. I was happy. Basking in the aura of a perfect family afternoon. After the next chapter in Sydney's book I decided to make my way upstairs. At the foot of the stairs I found a few globs of white hair.

Hmm. Is Boo, the cat, shedding? As I continued to make my way upstairs and into our room I continued to find little tufts of white hair. By the time I made it to our room I found Ainsley with Boo, cat tail in hand. Graham was nowhere to be found, but I would later find him hiding in the closet. I discovered that they had been pulling Boo around by his -hmmm - tail. Why they did it I still have not been able to figure out. They readily admit to doing it but, as most know, getting to the bottom of the question why? with a 4 or 5 year old can be elusive at best. I also never found an explanation for the tufts of hair. I can only imagine the worst.

It was the end of my perfect holiday weekend. As a lesson I decided to spend the next few minutes dragging the kiddos around by the ears. Yes, I received some rather disapproving looks from my wife and mother who was visiting. However, I wanted the kiddos to understand how it felt to be drug around by an appendage. I did not pull them hard but simply grasped them with enough pressure to make the experience uncomfortable. It did not take the long for them to decide that the kitty must not have liked it very much.

I am pretty sure Graham will never pull another kitty by its tail.

Ainsley, well, I am not to sure and I don't think I ever will be. She is definitely the difficult one to impress. Only tomorrow will tell.

Kids are like purpose. Complacency is never a good thing.