I Beg Your Pardon.

You can pay money to get your child enrolled in organized soccer ($85), baseball ($75) and golf lessons ($125) and his favourite sport is ...

... throwing a Fisher Price basketball up onto the sloping roof and then catching it when it falls off.

So the highlight of yesterday afternoon was playing the game. The Boy was getting pretty good at catching it on the bounce. I was pretty good at saving the ones that were about to go off the elevated patio deck and down onto the backyard. I missed two. The first one the Boy went to get, the second one he insisted Daddy go and get. I was in my slippers and declined.

He continued to insist and I continued to decline which ultimately resulted in a Boy getting angry and Daddy calling an end to the game. Frustration and sadness follow. Mommy takes over. Boy goes up for his bath and Daddy goes down to watch Seinfeld.

Everyone's happy again by the time bath time is over, and I go upstairs to help get him ready for bed, read a story, say the prayer, rub his back, kiss him goodnight. Before all that, I'm drying him off by the tub.

Boy: You should forgive me now.

Me (puzzled): What for?

Boy: Because you didn't go and get the ball.

Me: And you're still mad at me for that.

Boy: Yes.

It occurs to me that what he wants is for me to apologize.

Me: So I should forgive you.

Boy: Yes.

Me (hugging him close): Then I forgive you.

And then all was well.