Shenanigans

We'll get to the shenanigans in a minute, first there's some kiddie cuteness to report (sigh). We were walking to school this morning. We'd already said goodbye to Caroline at her door, and Bobby, Caitlin and I were walking around to her door. Caitlin saw a classmate and ran ahead. Bobby and I followed behind. As she approached the door, Bobby called out, "Have a good day, Caitie." So cute! Then I called out, "Bye, Caitlin!" She didn't even look back as she went through the door with her classmate. Then Bobby turned to me and said, "She blew ya off, Mommy."

Cut to an hour and half later. Bobby and I are getting in the car to drive home from the gym when I see a voice mail on my cell phone. It's the nurse's office at school. Caroline has come in complaining that she doesn't feel good. I call the nurse--apparently Caroline told them that she threw up at home (not true), and that she told me about the throwing up (also not true). She has no fever, but can cough and make it sound like she's gagging at the end of the cough (And the Oscar goes to...). Would I like to speak to her? Oh, hell yes!

Now, at times like this, I feel torn. I mean, my kid doesn't feel good, but she's also told some whoppers to an adult. Do I give sympathy or cold bust her on the lies? I went for the cold bust, as usual. I love that she reported vomiting as a symptom, because after repeated visits to the nurse's office last year, I told her that she could only go if she was bleeding or throwing up. At least she remembered what would get her in the door. I told her that she didn't feel good because she had stayed up too late last night, and that she had to go back to class. I also told the nurse that I'm a tough love mom with a child who loves to go to the nurse for a hangnail. She laughed and sent her back to class. I wonder if she'll go for the fever next--I swear last year she made her body temp go up to 100.0 just so she could come home.