Bringing up boys – pulling the other one

Innocent  - My Eye!

His door is shut.

Not a normal occurrence.

Should I be suspicious.

You Bet!

He may have big blue eyes and golden hair as well as the face of an angel but he is NOT to be trusted at all. I’ve known him nigh on six and a half years and ever since the beginning I’ve known he’s going to be a one.

I stand outside his door staring at it as if I can see through wood.

Me softly: You awake?

Him: No!

Me: You playing with your DS?

Him: No!

Me: You going to go to sleep now?

Him all innocently: Yes Mummy.

When he calls me Mummy and uses that voice I know he’s up to something so I open the door and walk in.

He’s lying in the dark in his bed ready to go to sleep.

Me: What are you doing?

Him: Nothing.

It’s the way he says it. I am even more on my guard.

Me: You sure? You wouldn’t be lying would you? You wouldn’t be lying about your DS would you?

Him, indignantly: MUM! My DS is outside on the bookshelf where you put it

I lean back and peer round the door towards the bookcase. Yes his DS is exactly where I put it. But something is still not right.

Him: I’m tired Mummy. I want to go to sleep.

Me resignedly: OK Darling

I make to leave but I’m not sure. Something is niggling at the back of my mind. I look about in the gloom and then I just take a random guess.

Me: Hand it over.

Him even more indignantly: What?!

Me: Whatever it is you’ve got under your pillow.

Give him his due he doesn’t fight it. He doesn’t pretend that nothing is there.

Him, as he draws out his brothers DS: I didn’t lie to you Mum…..