The kids were pretty worn out this evening when we finally arrived home. We had spent the day at their grandmother’s house and they rolled out of the car into the driveway with their tongues and cheeks sticky with jam and watermelon juice, and their hair stuck to their foreheads still sweaty from running outside and dancing inside. They were in good spirits, but they wandered through the house like aimless ghosts haunting their own bodies, quietly obeying my directions about getting ready for bed, but unsure about how to convince their body to act. On my way into their room with a cool glass of water, I stumbled into Clara as she was struggling to find the head hole in her pajama pants.

At some point in the middle of this silent film comedy of errors, I passed by the bathroom and found Gideon sitting on the toilet with his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. He looked moments away from falling asleep.

“Hey Gideon,” I stopped in the doorway, “what are you doing?”He slowly looked down at the toilet he was sitting on and then back up at me. “

He slowly looked down at the toilet he was sitting on and then back up at me. “Me go potty,” he said plainly.”Okay, right, right,” I shook my head. “I mean, how long have you been sitting there?”He considered the question for a moment and then slowly held up his hand in my direction. He blinked to focus on it to make sure he was holding up all five of his fingers and then looked back at me. “Five,” he said softly, “

“Okay, right, right,” I shook my head. “I mean, how long have you been sitting there?”He considered the question for a moment and then slowly held up his hand in my direction. He blinked to focus on it to make sure he was holding up all five of his fingers and then looked back at me. “Five,” he said softly, “

He considered the question for a moment and then slowly held up his hand in my direction. He blinked to focus on it to make sure he was holding up all five of his fingers and then looked back at me. “Five,” he said softly, “Me have sit here on potty,” he took a deep breath, “for five years.””Uh huh… Yeah. Well, that’s probably been long enough then. Let’s get you into your bed.” I helped him hop down, and gave him a gentle push in the direction of his bedroom. He staggered down the hall, a body in search of peace.

“Uh huh… Yeah. Well, that’s probably been long enough then. Let’s get you into your bed.” I helped him hop down, and gave him a gentle push in the direction of his bedroom. He staggered down the hall, a body in search of peace.