Bella was grounded today. Yesterday she had let her frustrations get the best of her – right at bed time.
When we got home we had our snack, made our beds, and cleaned rooms. Bella got a few minutes on the Hogg’s trampoline but soon after I came to retrieve her, and we go to work on the backyard. Fall leaves were in full force.
I wondered why city folk didn’t burn leaves, and decided to light a small fire in our fire pit as we began raking. Bella had taken her punishment with grace and was in a good mood – ready to help in any way. We raked leaves and stuffed most of them in leaf bags, but we also kept a good leaf fire burning well into sunset.
We noticed the night sky looked like the flames of our fire pit. Bella ran around the front of the house and I chased behind her. We plopped down on the grass and just began talking. About life and what scares us and what makes us happy.
She leaned into my arms – an affection that is not an every day thing for a ten year old. She snuggled in close and we watched the sun drop below the horizon.
I leaned in and whispered, “Can I confess something?”
“What is it Daddy.”
“Sometimes the days you are grounded end up being my favorite days.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder.
“That’s OK Daddy. Mine too.”