The Secret Code. 

  

      Jayden and Trey had been friends and neighbors for a long time...for probably one year.  They were such good friends that they had a secret code between them.  When Jayden wanted to play, he went to Trey’s front door and tapped three times.  This tap, tap, tap meant he was allowed to play outside.  Also, when Trey wanted to play with Jayden, he went to Jayden’s front door and tapped three times.  This tap, tap, tap meant Trey was allowed to play outside.

 

     One spring day Jayden’s mother said, “Jayden, I am having some ladies  for lunch .  I want you to be on your best behavior.  Can you do that for me today?

 

     “Yes, Mom.  What can I eat.  It is going to be so boring.”

 

     “I have arranged with Trey’s mother for you to play at Trey’s house.  Remember to call Trey’s mom “Mrs. Taffer.” 

 

     “OK, that’s cool!  I know I won’t be bored at Trey’s house.”

 

     ”Jayden, Mrs. Taffer is going to make hot dogs and macaroni and cheese for your lunch.

 

     “Awesome!  Oh, that’s waaaaay coo!”

 

    “ What are the magic words to use when Mrs. Taffer serves lunch?  Do you remember?”

 

     “Aw, Mom.  That is so easy.  I say “please” when I want something and “thank you” when someone gives me something..say, like hotdogs!”

 

    “ Jayden, there is more I need to tell you.  Mrs. Taffer has a special project for you an Trey that I know you are going to be excited about.”

 

     “What, Mom”  Please, please, please puleeze...tell me what it is.”

 

    “ It’s a surprise. If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise, will it?:”

 

     “I guess not but I don’t know how I am going to wait for that surprise.”

 

     “I’m sure you can wait.”

 

     “Jayden, now I want you to look at me.” 

 

     Mom was kneeling down facing Jayden.  Jayden knew when Mom knelt down and faced him that she meant for him to listen.

 

     “Yes, Mom.”

 

    “If you should come back to the house to get something or if you want to ask me something, it is important that you do not interrupt when I am talking to someone.  Do you understand?”

 

    “ Yes, Mom.  Can I go now?”

 

     “Yes, honey and have fun today.”

      

     Jayden ran as fast as he could and gave the three taps on the door of Trey's house.

 

     Tap, tap, tap.

 

     Trey appeared at the door and led Jayden to the kitchen table.  Jayden noticed the hot dogs, macaroni and cheese and brownies.  Mrs. Taffer told Jayden and Trey that after lunch there would be a very special and exciting project.  Jayden could hardly wait.  The macaroni and cheese tasted soooooo good.

 

     After lunch, Jayden and Trey followed Mrs. Taffer into the garage. 

 

     “What are we making?”  Trey asked this question as Mrs. Taffer was pulling out four empty cans from a plastic bag. 

 

     “We are going to make something today that I made when I was a little girl.  We are making a “walkie-talkie” out of these cans.”

 

     “Wow!  Will it really work?”  Jayden asked as he came closer to the cans.

 

     “Why don’t we make them and find out”. suggested Mrs. Taffer.

 

     Mrs. Taffer found the directions on the computer by logging on to

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_2067160_make-tin-can-phone.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     After the tin can walkie-talkies were made, Jayden raced to the front door saying, “I’ll be right back.  I have to show this to my Mom.”

 

     Jayden saw the women sitting in the living room drinking coffee and talking.  His mother was talking to her best friend, Mrs. Mack.  He ran up to his Mom.  Just about when he was going to say something, he remember what Mom had said about “not interrupting.”

 

     Jayden thought and thought about what to do.  He just had to share his tin can phone with his mother.  He just had to. 

 

     Then he thought of something.  Whenever he wanted to play with Trey, he would go tap, tap, tap on his door.  Maybe if he just softly went tap, tap, tap on Mom’s arm and didn’t speak, maybe Mom would not be angry. 

 

     He stood next to Mom and gently went, tap, tap, tap on her arm.

 

     “Excuse me,” she said to Mrs. Mack.

 

      Mom turned to Jayden. “ Yes, son, what is it?”

 

     Jayden noticed that Mom was not angry. 

 

     “Look, Mom.  I have my own walkie-talkie.  Trey and I made these and now we can talk to each other from far away.  Isn’t that awesome?”

 

     “Yes, Jayden.  That is great.”

 

     Mom smiled really big like she was happy.

 

     “Thank you for sharing your walkie-talkie with me, Jayden.  Tonight Dad and I will try it out.

 

     Jayden was happy.  Mom was happy because Jayden “tapped” to get her attention, instead of interrupting.

 

     Now Jayden had a secret code with Mom.  Jayden also had a tap-tap-tap code with Trey.

 

     Jayden ran back to Trey’s house and they talked with each other for a long time that day.

 

 

 

    

    

clip art: courtesy of Illustrationsof.com    

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Follow Up:

 

Ask children what Jayden did to keep from interrupting his mother's conversation  with another lady? (the tap-tap code)

 

Let the children take turns acting out this scenario.  Two children will talk, another will give the tap-tap code.

 

Why was his mother happy about this?

 

Do you think you could have the same code with your parents?  If not, maybe you could invent your own "code."

 

Would you like to do something that Jayden did with his friend? (make a walkie-talkie)

 

Have children bring items need for a walkie talkie (maybe send a note home).  Prepare to make the walkie talkie in a couple of days.