Lately, I've been having to go into my son, Max's room to retrieve my phone, because he often borrows it before bed time and then falls asleep with it. I wondered what he could be doing with it each night, so I checked the browser history. Nothing appeared amiss, so I then checked the call log. A call made each night to the same number, which belongs to the family of his bestie, Michael, for over an hour.
I barely use the phone myself, except for arranging schedules and appointments, so the service bill can withstand a little stretching. When I asked Max why he keeps calling Michael each night, Max admitted that Michael sometimes struggles with night terrors. And so, Max has taken to calling him before bed, and they talk over the phone until Michael falls asleep. Apparently, it helps Michael calm whatever part of his brain that triggers the night terrors, so he can sleep easy.
Honestly, I don't know what I did to deserve such a compassionate kid.