I went to pick David up from school and he immediately ran away from me. His friend Finn wanted to play with him, and David ran further. So, I made a cursory stab at trying to figure out what was wrong though I knew he wasn't going to tell me. Then I brought him a snack and told him it was fine to hang out on this side of the school while I went to get Rose.

It took me a long time to get Rose, so David came and found me. It was 42 degrees and raining. I asked him where his coat was. Usually he gives a casual shrug. He loses his coat daily. But this time he started to cry and said it wasn't in any of the lost and found boxes, and he was cold.

I did not get mad. I did not even worry because his coat always shows up within a day or so. I just gave him my hat, scarf, and gloves, which he was cold enough to accept. It was his red sweater that he lost, and I realized later he was really upset about it. He likes that sweater.

I figured out what was wrong. I solved the immediate problem. I did not berate him. Then we came home and built a fire together. He read me a book, and I read him two.

Rose and I have been having a problem with piano and cello practice. I nag. She delays and grumps and gets miserably frustrated when practice involves actual effort. I told her we were going to make a chart, so we knew which days were practice days. But, I didn't get around to making the chart. She did, and she started on it this week. So far no nagging and no whining.