Today the boys and I went over to Target to get some last minute things for Parker's birthday party. While I was putting the boys in the cart, a police officer was walking a girl out in handcuffs. In my head I'm saying "Oh great, here it comes!" I knew Peyton was going to have something to say about this.... He goes "Mommy, why is that policeman taking that girl in those things? Was she bad?" I say "Yes, she got in trouble for something." - trying to keep it simple and avoid having a discussion about all the things she could have done and also just trying to move on since watching someone getting arrested is not on the top of my list of things I want our 4 yr old to experience just yet. In response Peyton asks in a very loud voice, "Why is she in trouble? Because she didn't eat all her dinner?" I start laughing and so does the woman who is walking in at the same time and overhears our conversation. I am trying to control my laughter and explain to him that no she did something a little more serious than that, like took something that didn't belong to her or hurt someone she shouldn't have (b/c I'm not so sure what she was being arrested for - it seemed like a complicated situation). Later as we're walking through the store, Peyton asks me if she's going to jail with the policeman. I didn't even know that he knew that that's where they send you when you get in trouble with the police.
When he was telling my mom who stopped over tonight, he was demonstrating the girl in handcuffs to her, which of course makes me feel horrible that he had to see all this. I always tell Peyton that he has to keep his seat belt on or the police will stop mommy and I will get in trouble (I learned this idea from someone I used to nanny for; she used to tell this to her twins and daughter when we were getting ready to go somewhere - thanks Carol:) ). Well he started freaking out one day after he pushed the button to his seat belt too early and wasn't buckled in because he didn't want the police to come. Jeff and I started laughing (one of the only times I have ever laughed when my child was crying and truly fearful - I couldn't help it). I can only imagine how this is going to play out now when he does something he shouldn't or in his frequent nightmares he wakes me up for.
Moral of the story... Make sure you eat your dinner or the police will arrest you. :)
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