Getting the Right Things Done!

My older son turned 8 last week. His birthday started like every other morning. He said he didn’t feel great: headache or allergies or a runny nose. I told him if he felt worse during the day, to have the office call me and I would pick him up at the regular time – instead of his staying for study hall. I said “I love you”. 

Later that morning after yoga and a shower, I looked at my calendar and saw “Adam’s Birthday”. My jaw dropped – I had “forgotten” his birthday!!

Right away I emailed the school about what to bring in to celebrate with his class. Then, remembering that emails don’t always get response, I called. 

When I showed up towards the end of study hall, Adam had just finished his final draft of a report he’d been working on and was very happy. He saw me and the things I was holding and came over and said, “Is that for my class for my birthday?”

I said yes and that I was sorry for not saying “happy birthday” in the morning. He shrugged his shoulders and grinning took the snacks to the right part of the classroom.

Truth is, we’d been discussing what he wanted to do for his party starting at least two months before. About a month before, I found a provider who could do what he wanted (building and then battling robots) at a good price considering the number of kids.

Two or three weeks before I sent out Evite. We had him go through the Oriental Trading Post catalog to pick out party favors. I spent a long time ordering the favors and paper goods.

When I discussed this with him he seemed very resilient about it. On the one hand, one could say “what choice does he have?” On the other hand, he knew I was taking actions to make his party happen – that service that work is a way to show love.

Sometimes focusing on getting the right things done are the actions to make the party happen. And, for our family, finding the silver lining – the truth of the bigger picture is more important than getting upset about a moment of forgetfulness.

Maybe if you haven’t created a plan for the care and protection of you and yours, you can look at the time you will need to invest in imagining, deciding and passing along the information so I can help you document your hopes and dreams for your family as this sort of service.

If you are busy and forget something, explain to your kids that you are making a plan so that the right people take care of them. Kids like to know this … there are plenty of kids’ stories out there when things happen to parents (e.g., Alfred, the butler, must have been named as guardian for Bruce/Batman – and so he got to stay in his own home with someone he knew, instead of other options).