Failed Communication

A bucket of roses

It was a bit of a rough morning for one of my boys yesterday.  He was tired, and had chores he did not want, one of which was dead-heading the roses.  He has done this before, and I explained again that you cut off the dead roses so that more will grow.  What did he hear?  "Cut off all of the roses, or no more roses will grow."  Then, because wasps or bees hovered too close to the row of roses I expected him to work on, he started on the climbing roses.

Imagine my shock a few minutes later when I went out and found beautiful red roses strewn all over the ground.  I asked why he had cut them off, and he explained and was so upset that he had done it wrong.  I assured him I wasn't mad.  I was disappointed because I love those roses (though I didn't mention that), but I wasn't mad.  It was a hard morning for him already, and he wasn't doing it wrong on purpose.

I went and got a bowl of water and put a few of the pretty flowers in it so we have enjoyed them inside for a day.  The roses will eventually grow back.  There won't be as many until next Spring, but they will come back.  It is so easy to have miscommunications!  I am always glad when I feel like I haven't mishandled the miscommunication!

It is still green, and there are still pretty
roses tucked in there in places.
No real damage was done by a good boy who was trying to help
a good bush!