I sit down at the computer to work on some blog stuff and marketing. It’s morning, and I haven’t eaten yet. Ninja Boy asks me for a marker “to draw on this.” Distractedly, I said, “I don’t know.” I am assuming that the “this” he is referring to is the white board he had been holding a little bit ago. He spots a dry erase marker on the desk and asks if he can use it. I say that he can because that is what you use on a white board, right?

A minute or two later, he walks in holding my cream colored throw blanket from my bed that now has three black dots on it. He said something about wanting to be a ghost. I don’t quite remember what all he said, but I let him know that I was not a happy person at that moment. I didn’t yell or freak out, but I’m sure whatever my face looked like as I was explaining to him why that was not good was enough to let him know that he didn’t like how I felt about his plan. I think he was most upset by the fact that I told him he could use that marker.

I took this picture after I had started cleaning the third black dot. Starting to come out!

As I was trying to clean out the dry erase marker with rubbing alcohol, I thought about what had happened. I did tell him that he could use that marker. It’s not his fault that I didn’t make him clarify what it was that he was using it for. In his mind, I had given him permission. Even though I hadn’t yelled at him, I was still feeling badly for how I had responded to him. Yes, he needs to understand that he can’t draw on himself and things whenever he wants to, but to his credit, he thought he had asked this time.

While I thought about all of this, I pondered a way that I could give him what he wanted without ruining any more blankets. I cut out three circles out of black construction paper and taped them onto a sheet. Now he could be a ghost without causing mommy to stress out.

I kept asking him to put his arms out a little. He was not wanting to cooperate.

After a few kind threats, he acquiesced.

(So far I have not completely removed the stain. Oh, well. It will be a constant reminder to PAY ATTENTION.)