One day I was trying to declutter and the target was the fridge "decor". During the Christmas season, at Ben's primary class at church, they had made a picture with a glittery fun foam picture frame and the nativity inside, then put magnets on the back. He had placed in on the fridge. Then he liked the idea so much he started to draw nativities and pictures of our family at Christmas time on regular 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Then he asked us for the strip of sticky magnet stuff to put his pictures on the fridge. We gave him enough to make a magnet out of just one of his nativity pictures and he had to choose which one to use.
After the holiday season had long since past, I was cleaning off the kid projects on the fridge. Not wanting to throw out anything Ben felt was precious, I mentioned that I was cleaning up and would recycle the nativity. Frantic cries of protest began immediately. Can't we save it with the Christmas stuff in the basement? I told he we usually only save the really important things that we love. The only thing reflected in that poor boys eyes was a broken heart as he looked me square in the eyes and said, "But it is really important. I made it special to keep forever with the magnets."
What did I think he was going to say? Duh mom. He's not 30 years old. He's five. It is important. It's just pain insulting to imply anything different.
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