A Kid and his Rock

My 9-year old, J, is fascinated with geology.  He collects rocks, gems, and minerals, and knows more about them than I ever care to.  It's a pretty cool hobby.  This past Christmas his list for Santa was filled with nothing but rocks:

It was difficult, but Santa was able to bring about 10 pieces off his list, after visiting a very cool rock and gem shop.  The two prizes of his collection are a rock that has a real fleck of gold in it and a real topaz crystal.  Topaz is his birthstone, and it looks very cool in its natural form.  J was thrilled with his "rocks" from Santa, and has been very proud of his growing collection.

Yesterday was the first day back to school after the Christmas break.  Of course, J was very excited to show his class some of his treasures, and he brought the topaz crystal to school.  It made me very concerned.  But he had made a little paper box to bring it in, and he promised me he would leave it in his backpack until sharing time.  I even told him that the paper box would get squished in his backpack, but he was determined.  And I remember being so excited to share special things with my class.  So I let him.

Well, I think the topaz is gone.  He was in a panicked state this morning, thinking he left it at school.  First he thought he left it on the shelf of his locker, which wouldn't have been so bad (although it was supposed to only be in his hands or in his backpack), but then, horror of horrors:  he remembered taking it out and passing it to a couple friends ON THE BUS.  The dreaded bus.  In a small, homemade paper box.  He doesn't remember putting it back in his backpack, and it's not in there now.

It's gone.

He was devastated!  He spent much of the morning howling and crying, and claiming that this is the WORST DAY OF HIS LIFE!  I was super irritated, too irritated to feel bad for him.  I actually heard myself saying to him, "this is a learning moment, J.  You need to be more aware of your things and take better care of them."  I really am a mom.  And a mean one.  But geez, I really tried to warn him.  I shouldn't have let him take it, but he really does need to learn some responsibility.

I feel bad for him.  I'm hoping he still can have a decent day at school.  And I feel bad for Santa who made the trek out twice to the rock and gem shop to find these special things for the kid.  Very frustrating.  But I remember that crushed feeling.  When you're a kid, things hurt more, I think.  He's claiming this is the worst day of his life.  If I wasn't so irritated, it might be almost funny.  But it's not.  Because in the moment, that's genuinely how he feels.  Not that he won't stop thinking about by morning break at school, or that it will affect his childhood, but the pain of the moment is acute.  Because when you're a kid you don't have much of a filter and aren't practiced at thinking things through.  Poor little guy.

So hopefully the worst day of his life will get a little better.  And maybe his topaz will turn up.  I doubt it, but maybe.  And if not, maybe he needs to take some of his Christmas money and have dad take him to Santa's rock shop.