Serendipity

"Serendipity as defined in Wikipedia is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely...

Consider this: My 7 year old calls me into the bathroom to tell me that he has sanitized the toilet. I asked him what he used. He told me, "you know, the sheet you and daddy use." We've had construction in our house for the last 2 or 3 months now and we've had many workers using our bathroom. So I was really delighted my 7 year old took the initiative. We had a conversation a couple of days ago about responsibility and independence and all that. So of course I was proud.

Consider this, germ free or free germs: While I examined his responsible work in the bathroom, he was still sanitizing the toilet tank and he told me that he'd just finished sanitizing the sink and the toothbrush holder and his toothbrush. So I start to wonder and asked and accidentally discovered something, not fortunate but..."Did you use a different sheet from the one you wiped the toilet with?" "No, it's the same one mom." He was actually beaming as he said this...then a rapid conversation/lecture along with "ugh'' and "you should ask me first before you do anything" followed by a lot of rolling my eyes and all that. Suffice it to say that my 7 year old was not beaming anymore and suffice it to say that I somewhat negated the conversation on independence and responsibility. And now we both feel badly about the whole thing. Instead I could have said thank you, thanks, thanks a lot or thanks a lot!