Seriously. I don’t even remember when we bought the soccer goals; they are that old. The poles are showing signs of rust; the nets are completely frayed and torn. The pair have been taking up space in a corner of the driveway, waiting to go out for the trash, and I finally set them out tonight for Friday morning pick-up.

No. 2 threw an ever-lovin’ fit.

“But we USE them!”

“I can recycle them and make them into something NEW!”

“Pleeeeeeaaaaase!”

“You see trash, but I see 50 different ways to turn them into something!!”

Oh. my. gosh. It’s just a pair of no-good kiddie soccer goals, but he was – literally – in tears about my decision to throw them away. I couldn’t decide if he’s just a packrat or extraordinarily creative. So, I told him to write down his plan: where will he keep the soccer goals (out of my sight, out of the way, not in the yard/driveway/his room); what ideas he has to recycle them; why I should let him keep them.

Ten minutes later, he came back with a list – complete with sketches – of what he thinks he can do with the rusted, torn soccer goals. The list includes repairing the torn trampoline net (with the torn soccer net?) and reinforcing the shed door.

So, I gave him a week. He has until next Thursday evening to come up with a solid plan of action about how to recycle the goals; otherwise, he is personally taking them back to the curb for next Friday’s trash.

Please tell me that I’m encouraging my son’s creativity and not just a glutton for punishment by letting him bring trash back home.  O.o