Naivety

Getting B to church this morning was not going to happen without some major incentives. I haven't taken him since December and all he seems to remember is that his kindergarten Sunday School class is "too much like my 'real' kindergarten class."

My church has adopted a very forward-thinking curriculum for children; unfortunately for B, it's modeled after Montessori, which to him is "way too much job time."

Nevertheless, we arrived to church armed with stencils, crayons, a drawing board and a pack of gum. "But what is my real prize for going? asked B. "It's good for you," I tell him. "You can't see the rewards of going to church. But I will get you a treat when we're done IF you're good. Something you haven't had before. Well, maybe you've had this at your dad's but you definitely haven't had it at my house."

"What is it?" inquired young B.

"A donut," I replied.

"What's that?" he asked.

Cut to an hour later and a mad dash out before Communion. Donut store on J Street. My big-eyed boy was enchanted. He got the last rainbow sprinkled donut and then said to the girl at Starbucks: "Wow, this is the best bagel I've ever had!" And then:

"When can we go back to church?"