Chapter 13 - Eli asks if he caused the police
Children create causation out of sequence.
Eli asked:
“Did the police come because I complained?”
“No.”
“Mrs. Keller called because I was loud?”
“She called because she was worried.”
“If I didn’t say stop, he wouldn’t come.”
“Maybe.”
“Then Aunt Lena got in trouble because I said stop.”
There.
I sat beside him.
“Lena got consequences because of what Lena did.”
“But Detective heard me.”
“Yes.”
“Was I tattling?”
“No.”
He looked unconvinced.
I said:
“If an adult is doing something that scares or hurts you, you are allowed to say stop and tell another adult.”
“Even Grandma?”
“Yes.”
“Even Grandpa?”
“Yes.”
“Even you?”
That landed.
“Yes.”
He stared at me.
“What if you get mad?”
“I might feel mad. You still tell.”
That answer became more important than every lecture about strangers.
Safety is not:
Trust good adults forever.
May you like
It is:
You may report behavior, even when the person has a title you love.
