# Okay darling — I'll help you pack

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-six-year-old-allowed-to-leave-home
- Themes: parenting, friendship, trust, humour
- Life situations: child testing independence, arguments with kids

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A Perth mother whose six-year-old wanted to leave home packed his teddy and PlayStation, made a sandwich, kissed him at the door; ~50 metres later he came home homesick to 'welcome home darling'. A Singapore counsellor later said the same happened to her — with $20 for lunch and a lift goodbye.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

Mommy I don't love you any longer I want to leave home a six yearold wanted to leave home you know what mommy did Mommy said good idea darling I'll help you pack your bags this last week's did I told a story okay cuz I I give so many talks I'm getting old now so my memor sometimes go wouldn't I tell this last story I think it was at the retreat so okay darling you can leave home and Mommy went to pack the suitcase for her little kid six-year-old so went to the bedroom got the little kids suitcase and packed all the important things in life like the teddy bear like the PlayStation and other things in little bag and mommy said oh darling before you leave I'll make you something for lunch so the mommy made a sandwich for a kid and the kid carrying the the the sandwich in one hand and her a bag uh suitcase in the left hand in the other hand just a mommy kissed her her son six-year-old at the front door and the kid walked to the end of the Garden Path opened the door and just went off into their life he let the six-year-old leave home and of course you know what the six-year-old did it just got about maybe 50 m past the garden gate when he got homesick turned around came through the garden gate up the Garden Path and mommy was still waiting there welcome home darling

## Teaching point

Friendship with a child sometimes means letting them try the door — knowing love will bring them back.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

When her six-year-old announced he was leaving home, a mother helped him pack his teddy, made a sandwich, and kissed him goodbye. Fifty metres later he was homesick, and she was waiting: welcome home, darling. A Singaporean woman laughed; it had happened to her too. Sometimes love means letting them try.

## Source

- [Friendship | Ajahn Brahm | 25-11-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDbSJdQ5LGM) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 24:35 to 26:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDbSJdQ5LGM&t=1475s

Other tellings of this story:

- [4. Present moment - retreat talk Ajahn Brahm](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjKe4GjKMxM) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 36:17 to 36:38: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjKe4GjKMxM&t=2177s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 8 July 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BSTZS4VF7Q) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:00:58 to 1:02:10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BSTZS4VF7Q&t=3658s
- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 9 December 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py-CgMk-5u4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 14:52 to 15:21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py-CgMk-5u4&t=892s
- [4. Not What You Do, But How You Do It - November 2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNVfFwJMUbE) (BSWA Retreats 2011-15 & Media) — watch from 36:10 to 38:04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNVfFwJMUbE&t=2170s