So today was a BIG day. In an effort to create a win-win for our family, I left Cody alone for the first time ever. It was for 45 minutes and it felt like an eternity.
The pictures are of him on his new cell phone that I purchased as a precautionary measure. I don't have a house phone and I couldn't leave him without the ability to call for help so the decision to pay for the gym again had to also come with the decision to get Cody a phone.
This wasn't an easy decision. It took me about 2 months to come to peace with it. I researched on the internet what age children can be left alone, and Maryland does not have a law - only guidelines. Since Cody is almost 9, I decided it was time to trust him more; and since I am the heaviest I have been since pregnancy, I decided it was time to get my tail to the gym. There is a Curves 2 minutes from my house and while I could take him with me every time and have him sit in the room for measurement taking, I decided it was time to trust the Lord, trust Cody, and leave him home alone.
I didn't like the feeling I had as I pulled away. It was a mixture of neglect, regret and guilt. But I prayed and asked God to fill me with peace if this was a wise decision. I asked Cody if he wanted me to call and check on him while I was gone and he said, "No - I'll be fine Mama!". In reality I knew that I could be off the machine, in my car, and back home within 3 minutes. I rationalize that while I'm mowing the grass Cody could have an accident, I wouldn't hear it, and it would take me just as long to get to him. So taking the precautions necessary and training Cody to respond in an emergency is actually, I believe, a good thing. It gives him the chance to grow his self-reliance and gives me the chance to relieve some serious stress.
I don't plan to do it every day - maybe once a week but it was certainly a momentous occasion in our family history. I was surprised that Edwin didn't challenge my decision .... I figured we were going to have a heated discussion about the whole thing because I'm sure that if the situation were reversed I would be HEATED if he left our son alone. I guess that leaves me with more food for thought about the whole endeavor.... I think I need to call Cristina and ask her about my motives - she seems to always read me better than I read myself :)
From Maddie:
ReplyDeleteUnacceptable!!!! I'm 11 years old and my parent made me go to Red Cross certification just to stay home and watch my brother for 60 minutes at a time and I didn't even get a cell phone out of the deal!!! That is SO unfair!