not far from the tree

Three years ago one of Twin Oaks many guest asked my son

“Willow how old are you?”

“I am 6, unless you are the police and then i am 8” he replied earnestly

The law in Virginia was that until he turned 5 he had to wear a car seat,  And when he turned 5 it was quite some liberation for him to get out of it.  But when he turned 6 the insurance industry forced the state raise the age to 8 years.

Another parent trying to load him into a car asked “So dont you need to wear a car seat? Because you are not yet 8”

Willow refused to comply.  And the responsibile adults asked “What are you going to do if the police stop the car and ask you how old you are?”

Willow shot back, “i dont have ID, i will just lie!”

Willow age 6 or 8

Willow wrote in my validation day card this year for the first time.

he wrote “Thanks for letting me stay up late.”