Second son received sea monkeys from Baph for his birthday. They set it up together and just yesterday was the day to put in the eggs of the sea monkeys.

This morning, second son comes to me.
“Mom, you have to look at this. The sea monkeys is all messy”
“they what?”
“mom, come look please”
“what did you do?”
“I just put de food inna sea monekies and they all sleeping but the tank is all messy anna babies is still not eating for the food but now -”
“[second son], did you try to feed the sea monkies?”
[sad look]”yes”

I take his hand and we go downstairs. Halfway down the stairs he turns and says “and I don’t want to tell [Baph]”
“oh honey,” I say, “we have to tell him. We can’t just pretend its okay. [Baph] is not going to be angry with you honey”
Much distress. “okay,” he says
We get downstairs. The tank is clouded and murky and definitely green. This is not good for the sea monkies.
Much babbling from second son and distress grows more and more.
“they gonna be okay? [The Yellow King] said they gonna be okay”
“he told you that?” I ask incredulously.
I’m thinking he must have approached TYK when he got up to go to work this morning while I was still dozing. I’m sure TYK didn’t know what he was talking about and figured it would be correct to just pacify the distressed child. Will have to instruct TYK in the concept of “when child is upset, GO CHECK IT OUT”

I tell Second Son that the sea monkies are probably NOT going to be okay. I show him the instructions (again) and remind him that Baph told him NOT to mess with the tank. His little face is furrowed with worry and he’s almost crying. Finally, tell him it’s time to just stop worrying about it and let’s go do something else.

Later on, Baph calls to talk to me. I tell him about the sea monkies. He is perturbed and tells me that he’s NOT going to replace said monkies. He says “I think it’s important that he learns to follow instructions.”
I cannot argue with that logic but having messed up his sea monkies before they have even hatched is a harsh lesson for a child. Baph says “do you think I’m being mean?” and I tell him that I don’t, but I do think he’s being a little bit harsh. He says he’s just not going to replace the sea monkies right away which I certainly don’t argue with.

So I decide to let Second Son talk to Baph himself.
the first thing he says when I give him the phone is, “I’m sorry [Baph]” with his voice full of tears. He apologizes at least three times while listening to Baph tell him that he should have followed the instructions. By the end of the conversation, I think Baph was almost about to cry too. I wisely say nothing.

I get the phone back and listen to Baph hem and haw.

I have a feeling  somebody’s going to get a new present soon.