Readyyyyyyy….Rake!
One of the perks of being old is that you are the master of your own bedtime. But in a cruel twist of irony, you find yourself not staying up later, but longing to go to bed earlier. When does this happen? For me, roughly seven years into four kids. Now I know why old people go to bed so early – they’re tired. Conversely, my kids are rarely tired at bedtime – particularly when there’s a game on – any game – of any sport. On one such night, we put them to bed at their appointed bedtime. And surprisingly, no backlash. (That should have tipped us off that something was awry.) They went to their rooms, closed the doors, and…quiet. We were able to watch the game with little interruption. I hardly heard a peep out of them for two hours.
Not until a turning point in the game did we suspect anything. For during a lapse in coverage by the secondary, I screamed at the TV – and I heard them screaming as well. Hmm…there’s no TV in their room, why would they be screaming? Not a sound to be heard as I walked down the hall. When I opened Callahan and Charles Henry’s door, I found all three quiet and motionless in the bed….Hmm…that’s odd. Why would William jump into an already crowded bed? Well, at least they’re quiet. Back to the game I went. And just when I’m about to sit down, I see it. It’s the camera from the baby monitor, not completely hidden from view. It’s pointed at the TV with the receiving monitor, as you might have guessed, located in the bedroom with the three rabble-rousers. “Video piracy is not a victim-less crime!” I screamed. “Prepare to be judged.”
And that’s where it all breaks down. I was so impressed by the creativity and execution of their tomfoolery, I commuted their sentence of solitary confinement to a late night with mom and dad watching the game. Without question, they knew there would be consequences for their actions, but the desired outcome proved stronger than the sacrifices involved. What’s the take away?
Planning pays off.
Planning is the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Working together, they were able to position, test, and conceal the camera and monitor, provide power for both, and carry on with the normal bedtime responsibilities of making sure all was ready for school the next morning. This ill-gotten gain didn’t just happen by itself. For on that evening, they didn’t play many games, watch much TV, play ball in the house, draw or make crafts. They were busy. Busy working the plan. In the end, sacrifices were made and their payoff was had. As were they, I should add. But well done, boys. Well done.
Here’s a top 10 list of other things that don’t happen without a plan:
10) Getting back into your favorite clothes.
9) Paying for new favorite clothes when you realize how much work number 10 will take.
8) Preparing your boys to become men.
7) Funding Christmas without your credit card. (You have 34 days from the time this was posted.)
6) Having more money coming in than going out.
5) Finding out whether you have more money coming in than going out.
4) Saving enough for retirement.
3) Knowing how much you’re going to need for retirement.
2) Getting out of debt.
1) Getting out of debt.
And in related news, the McCarthy’s yard was completely void of leaves the day after the late-night family get-together. Sometimes, as fate would have it, solutions to problems just present themselves without a plan at all.
