Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Seriously Cheap Grace
I am SO loving our orthodontist right now.
My dear, dear, son (do you hear my teeth grinding right now?) managed to lose his new retainer during vacation.
It was less than a week old. In fact, he had it for all of four days when he performed the classic "wrap retainer in a napkin and leave on the side of the plate to be cleared away by the busboy and then forget about it for three or four hours" move. Did I mention that the retainer technically should have been home in it's case at the time, not in his mouth??
He was understandably devastated. First of all, he was risking the major Wrath of Mom. Secondly, the replacement cost of the retainer is $150...and he knew he was on the hook for every last cent of it--to be taken out in the labor of his parents' choice.
He spent Labor Day in repentant labor...hard labor helping his dad and a friend of the family rip out the old landscaping in our back yard and dismantle our rickety swing set in preparation for an upcoming remodel.
The next day he went to the orthodontist to have the mold taken for the new retainer. He walked in dejected but walked out beaming.
"Mom! Dr.Nett said that I don't have to pay for my retainer this time if I bring homemade chocolate-chip cookies in for the whole office! Mom, can I work for the cookie ingredients?"
I checked with the hygenist--yes, this was a legit deal. Of course, she reminded him of the terms of any future retainer offense.
"Mom, he says if I lose another retainer, then I have to pay for that one myself."
What cash-strapped mommy could say not to a deal like that--especially when I've been eyeing new literature units for this kid.
The promised cookies are cooling on the counter to take to this afternoon's appointment.
Hopefully they'll serve as a cheap (and sweet) lesson in extending grace to others for my son.
They did for me.
My dear, dear, son (do you hear my teeth grinding right now?) managed to lose his new retainer during vacation.
It was less than a week old. In fact, he had it for all of four days when he performed the classic "wrap retainer in a napkin and leave on the side of the plate to be cleared away by the busboy and then forget about it for three or four hours" move. Did I mention that the retainer technically should have been home in it's case at the time, not in his mouth??
He was understandably devastated. First of all, he was risking the major Wrath of Mom. Secondly, the replacement cost of the retainer is $150...and he knew he was on the hook for every last cent of it--to be taken out in the labor of his parents' choice.
He spent Labor Day in repentant labor...hard labor helping his dad and a friend of the family rip out the old landscaping in our back yard and dismantle our rickety swing set in preparation for an upcoming remodel.
The next day he went to the orthodontist to have the mold taken for the new retainer. He walked in dejected but walked out beaming.
"Mom! Dr.Nett said that I don't have to pay for my retainer this time if I bring homemade chocolate-chip cookies in for the whole office! Mom, can I work for the cookie ingredients?"
I checked with the hygenist--yes, this was a legit deal. Of course, she reminded him of the terms of any future retainer offense.
"Mom, he says if I lose another retainer, then I have to pay for that one myself."
What cash-strapped mommy could say not to a deal like that--especially when I've been eyeing new literature units for this kid.
The promised cookies are cooling on the counter to take to this afternoon's appointment.
Hopefully they'll serve as a cheap (and sweet) lesson in extending grace to others for my son.
They did for me.
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3 Comments:
God is too cool!!!
I am glad he was so willing to work!
Wow that is very lucky.
I used to always lose my retainer.
What a great story! I hope that when my braces come off, if I lose my retainer, I can get off that easily! (Somehow I don't think so...)
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