It was his first day of daycare.  He had a great time.

Blocks

Fingerpaints

Storybooks

Snacks

As we left his teacher pointed out his folder.

A shiny, red folder.

Shiny

Red

Gleaming

Inside the folder held his work for the day and a note from his teacher.

He didn’t care what was inside.  He only cared about the folder.  He wanted to take the folder home with him.

But the folder is supposed to remain.  He didn’t like that.

And he made sure everyone in the building knew of his disagreement.  Everyone.

The next day the first thing he checked upon entering his classroom was his shiny red folder.  There it sat.

Shiny

Red

We talked about how the folder was here waiting for him.  And how it will stay here again when he leaves.  We agreed that we will take the papers within home with us, but the folder will sleep here again.  In his classroom.  He consented.

Departure was a breeze that afternoon.  He exited the building with a broad smile on his face.

Clutching his shiny red folder.

Dangling from mom’s back pocket hangs a white flag of surrender.