The other day, Jonah voluntarily emptied the whole dishwasher by himself without a single complaint.
When I asked him to make some corrections on his homework, he didn’t offer a single protest.
He set the table without being asked and even got out napkins.
He put his dishes away and said “thank you.”
It seemed a little fishy, but I just went with it. This is an 8-year-old who generally moans loudly when asked to lift a finger.
Yesterday, I praised him for his wonderful behavior. I told him he seemed like a whole new Jonah.
“Cool,” he said with a smile, basking in the praise.
Then he mentioned that he hoped it help him get what he wanted for Christmas.
Ahh, the catch, I thought. But that’s ok. Any little bit of motivation is good.
Then I got an e-mail.
Apparently there had been an issue at school the day before. He hadn’t been very nice to his best friend. Sounded like he’d been downright mean.
So I’m left wondering what exactly brought on the good-boy behavior.
And how long it will last.
FranklyStein is a blog by Chesapeake Family Magazine editor Betsy Stein who lives in Catonsville with her husband, Chris, and four children, Maggie, 13, Lilly, 11, Adam, 11, and Jonah, 7.
