STOP TAKING THINGS APART!

Yup, that's the quote that was being screamed out of my hubby's mouth last night as I was calling to say good night to the boys.

On Monday nights after I finish work, I head out for symphony chorus rehearsal and don't get home until after 10:00. So I usually call to say good night to the boys. But Steve was very busy last night with other things when I called.

Let me back up a bit.

For Christmas, Noah asked for his very own tool box with tools. I obliged with a few tools, but then while I was wrapping presents, I decided that I wouldn't give it to him for Christmas. I would wait until another time when he would really appreciate it.

Last Friday night, Noah earned his very first level badge. There was actually a full fledged dinner in honor of 100 years of scouting. But for Noah, the big deal was that after only two months, he was caught up to the rest of the second graders who started in September. He was very proud to receive three badges that night.

As a reward, we decided that we would give him his tool kit with tools. Since several of the things he needs to do for his next badge require the use of tools, we figured it was a suitable reward.

He was VERY excited.




He had to sort through the things he got (he only got three) and Steve took him into the bathroom to show him how to use his level. Unfortunately, it was showing him how crooked our vanity is, but that's another story.

As the day went on, Noah was so excited about the screwdriver that he kept taking batteries out of things, just because he could. And as the day went on, he progressed to taking apart numerous clocks that he found around the house.

At that point is when the instruction came down. "Noah, tools are for putting things together, not taking things apart."

We both thought the message registered. Apparently not.

So we return to the phone call last night. Noah had decided that in order to be a great inventor someday he needs to know how EVERYTHING is put together. Apparently you can't be a good inventor unless you are using wires. So the kid searched to find something with wires that he could take apart.

He even announced his intentions with making a sign for his door. "Dr. Wheeler's lab" complete with date



HE found it...in a toy that he had gotten for Christmas two years ago. Actually, it was one that I waited in line at 4 AM on Black Friday for, but he didn't play with it all that much.

So he had unscrewed the entire thing and in the process of manipulating the wires, he had snapped all of the wires a, rendering the toy useless.

Now here's the thing. Yeah, he shouldn't be taking toys apart. But he IS a seven year old boy with an idol screwdriver and a desire to see how things work. Should anyone really be surprised that he was taking things apart? Steve, however was FURIOUS and took his tool kit away. I agreed with the consequence, just until we talk more about appropriate uses of tools. But I also laughed, both at how mad Steve was as well as the vision of Noah wandering around the house looking for things that had wires that he could take apart.

So, at some point this week, I will be heading to a hardware store to find random pieces of wood and some hardware so my little inventor can build things, rather than take them apart.

But I still giggle. Boys will be boys.