Poodle (our favorite nickname for our six-year-old girl) has tumbling class every Friday at 5:00. She is a very flexible, high-energy little sprite, and she loves the chance to jump, roll, run, and play with other kids her age. The place where she goes is an easy fifteen-minute drive from our home, and she’s been there a number of times. Still, the following sequence of events happens just about every Friday afternoon.

4:15 p.m.

Poodle: Mommy, I have to get changed for tumbling. I don’t want to be late.

Katie: We’ve got lots of time, Poodle. I’m in the middle of something. I’ll help you in a few minutes.

Poodle: No, Mom. I don’t want to be late. You have to help me now.

Katie: Hang on just a couple more minutes. We won’t be late. I promise.

Poodle (her voice quavering a bit): Okay. I just don’t want to be late.

4:20 p.m.

Katie: Okay, Poodle, let’s get you dressed. Get your leotard from your room and bring it down here.

Poodle: I can’t do that! The boys will see me.

Katie: No they won’t. We’ll go in my bedroom and close the door.

Poodle: Are you sure? I don’t want the boys to see me naked.

Katie: I promise I’ll close the door. I’ll even lock it if you want.

Poodle: Ohhhh, Mommy, I don’t know. I don’t want the boys to see me naked.

Katie: I promise they won’t. Now get down here so we can get you changed.

Poodle (nervously): Okay. I don’t want the boys to see me naked. You’re sure we won’t be late?

Katie: I promise.

4:25 p.m.

Katie: Go get your Crocs so we can get going.

Poodle: I don’t know where they are. Let’s just go. I don’t want to be late.

Katie: It’s okay, Poodle. We have lots of time. Go and find your Crocs.

Poodle: No, Mommy. I don’t want to be late. I can’t be late. They won’t like me if I’m late. Let’s go!

Katie: I don’t want you going outside without any shoes. It’s raining, and it’s chilly. Find your Crocs, and we’ll get going.

Poodle: Please, Mommy! I don’t want to be late!

Katie: Tumbling is only 15 minutes away, and we have more than 35 minutes to get there. We’ll be fine.

Poodle: No, Mommy, no. We need to go now. I don’t want to be late!

Katie: Fine! Get in the car. I guess I can carry you into the tumbling studio.

Poodle: Okay. I don’t want to be late.

4:30 p.m.

Poodle (wringing her hands): Mom? How long before we get there? I don’t want to be late.

Katie: Fifteen minutes.

Poodle: Is that enough time?

Katie: Yes, it is. We’ll get there with fifteen minutes to spare.

Poodle: Are you sure? I don’t want to be late.

Katie: Yes, I’m sure. Look how far we’ve gone already. We’ll be there with lots of time.

Poodle (suspiciously): Okay, if you say so.

4:33 p.m.

Poodle: Are we getting close? I don’t want to be late.

Katie: Yes, we’re getting close.

Poodle: Will we be there on time?

Katie: We’ll be early.

Poodle (twisting a lock of her hair): Are you sure? I don’t want to be late.

Katie: Yes, I’m sure.

4:40 p.m.

Poodle: When does tumbling start?

Katie: In twenty minutes.

Poodle: Will we be there in time? I don’t want to be late.

Katie: I told you already, we’ll be early. We’re almost there.

Poodle: We’re not going to be late, are we?

Katie: No, we’ll be early.

4:44 p.m.

Poodle: Are we going to be on time? I can’t be late. They don’t like it when I’m late.

Katie: Look up there. See that traffic light? The studio is just beyond that light. We’ll be there as soon as the light turns green.

Poodle: No we won’t. We’re going to be late.

Katie: Don’t worry, Poodle. When the light turns green, we’ll be there.

Poodle: You’re going to go as soon as the light turns green?

Katie: Yes, I will. Then we’ll be at tumbling.

Poodle: Ohhhh, how much time do we have now? Are we going to be late?

Katie: We have fifteen minutes. All we have to do is cross this intersection. Then we’ll be there.

Poodle: Are you sure? I don’t want to be late.

Katie: Yes, I’m sure, Poodle. We’ll be there in less than a minute.

4:46 p.m. [The light turns green.]

Poodle: How much time now, Mommy?

Katie: Fourteen minutes.

Poodle: Are we going to get there in time?

Katie: Yes, we’re pulling into the parking lot right now.

Poodle: We won’t be late?

Katie: No, we have lots of time.

4:47 p.m. [Katie carries her, shoeless, into the studio.]

Poodle: We’re not late, are we?

Katie: No, we’re not.

Poodle: That was close, wasn’t it?

Katie: I guess so.

Poodle: Okay. Are you sure Daddy is going to be on time to pick me up?

Katie: <sigh> Yes, I’m sure.