Sad or Just Stubborn?

We don't always like being responsible.  Sometimes we just want to play and let nature take it's course.  We want to be free to run around, make a mess, and go our merry little way, remaining a happy go lucky child with no responsibilities.  I have some news for all of us:  even little children have responsibilities, and they act just like us.

Benjamin's latest excuse for not obeying is the following words, "But I'm sad."  Sure, he was laughing and playing only moments before, but if I tell him to put his cup in the sink, those words come out of his mouth.  "I can't because I'm just sad right now."   Uh, what?  You were just giggling for all you were worth.  Oh, I see, I told you to do something you don't want to do so all of a sudden you are sad.  You are too sad to do anything.  Got it.  Um.  No.

"Benjamin, put your puzzle away," I will say.

"But I'm just said right now."

Sometimes I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, just in case he actually is sad about something.  "Come talk to me, honey.  What's wrong?"

"Well, I'm just sad."

"Why are you sad?"

"Well, I don't know.  I'm just sad."

"Did something happen to make you sad?"

"Well, no."  "Well" has become his favorite filler word at the moment.

"You were just laughing but now you say you are sad.  What happened, why are you sad now?"

"Well, my puzzle.  I'm sad."

"Are you sad because I told you to put it away?"

"Well, yes."

"Are you still playing with the puzzle?"

"Well no."

"If you are finished playing with the puzzle, then you need to put it away now."  By this time, I've figured out that the only reason he is sad is because I'm telling him to do something he doesn't want to do.  So I put my foot down and, in spite of his hemming and hawing, he has to put it away, much to his chagrin.  He doesn't want to put it away, he doesn't like having to put it away, but he does it because he knows he won't like the consequences if he disobeys.

We have a choice when it comes to life.  We can either dig in our heels and refuse to do something, making it harder on ourselves and still have to do it later, or we can just do it and get it over with.  It's all in the way we respond.  When we do things, we have to strike a balance between playtime and responsibility.  Yes, it's fine to have fun, it's good for us to cut loose once in a while.  I love to laugh; it's good medicine for the soul.

But when we have a responsibility, do we go ahead and do it with a happy heart or do we suddenly turn into a sourpuss?  Guilty am I, as charged.  There are times I look at the kitchen and say, "Do I really have to do this right now?  I'd rather read a book.  Can I take a bath instead?  How about watch this show?"  Granted, sometimes I do leave it until morning, but it's still there.  So I get myself moving and straighten things up that I didn't get to the night before.  It's clean up.  It's responsibility.  It's my job.