One frosty winter day Sean looked out the window.
The ground was blanketed with snow.

"Wonderful!" He said, "I'll build a snowboy."

"I'll use cherries for his eyes, a banana for his nose,
and different colored jellybeans for his smile."

When Sean finished, the snowboy was unhappy.
"You forgot my ears, Sean."

"Oops, How about I use ears of corn?"

"I beg your pardon. I can't hear you, Sean."

Sean used ears of corn and gave his snowboy ears.
"Now can you hear me, snowboy?"

"Thank you, Sean. Yes. I hear you loud and clear."

"Sorry 'bout that, snowboy.
I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT EARS."

"Now, where are your ears?" Asked the snowboy.

Sean touched his ears. "Here," he answered,
"can't you see them?"

"Yes. I can see your ears, Sean,
but your parents say that you never use them.
You never listen to them.
NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT EITHER, HUH, SEAN?"

"Dad and Mom said that?"
"Yes."

"How come I've never heard Dad and Mom say that?"
"Your parents say that you don't hear
much of anything that they say to you. Why not Sean?"

"Well...they're always giving me, time outs.
I don't wanna hear that. They send me to my room,
for punishment. It doesn't really bother me at all."

"Why not Sean?"

"Well...I get so tied up playing in my room,
that when time is back in, I don't wanna come out;
and I haven't learned anything from it...they say."

"Why don't you suggest that you three begin a parents'--son day?"

"A parents' Sunday?"

"No. A parents'--Son day. A day when the three of you
get together and share a big group hug. They'll like that.
You'll learn to like it too. It'll end up being every day."

"Dad and Mom are always hugging each other,
maybe I should squeeze in sometime, huh?"

"How about at all times, Sean?"

"That's a terrific idea. I'd be on my best behavior
at those times; cut down on the time outs a little bit."

"Listen to them, Sean. Pay attention to them.
Take their advise. Be on your best behavior;
especially when they're not around.
That'll cut out the time outs altogether."

"Yeah. Because they'll like that, huh, snowboy?"
"You'll like that too, Sean."

"Yes. I'd like that too. And guess what, snowboy.
To be honest, I HAVE learned something from my time outs."

"Do you mind sharing, Sean?"

"My punishment; My fault...

My timeouts shows me that Dad and Mom
are only trying to teach me how to behave myself, the right way.
And guess what else, I've learned, snowboy"

"What else have you learned, Sean"

"Time outs and all...Dad and Mom love me."