Six

There's something to be said about trying to raise responsible children... And how much of a pain in the ass it really is.

For example. Before G transferred schools, he lost a library book. I told him he needed to find it before he went to the new school. I told him he needed to find it before he went to Library at the new school. I told him that he needed to find it. I guess he thought that he was going to be sneaky (Because he usually does. If he thinks he can get away with it, he will try) and check out Library books. Well, the systems between schools are connected, little man. No new books for you.

Now, in our house, there is a list of things mommy doesn't find. Shoes, Library books, Coats, and toys/toy parts. He comes home yesterday and looks and searches and tears his bedroom apart looking for it. Can't find it. Comes out and tells me he can't find it and I can see he's debating about telling me he thinks that I threw it away- He's weighing the option of the get out of jail free card vs. the mommy flying into a rage at him losing someone else's property. He takes the risk. Tells me that I might have thrown it away when I went Storm Trooper on their bedroom a few weeks ago and got rid of 5 lawn bags full of crap.

I give him the look. He's terrified. He's pathetic looking with his mohawk, and I see tears welling up... But I concede his point. Relief. But then mommy drops the bomb- I'm not paying for it. He is going to. "Well, how am I going to pay for it?" "Work."

You know that slow motion moment in 'A Christmas Story' when Ralphie drops the lug nuts and yells "OH FUCKKKK"... Well G had one of those moments internally. But if he's anything, he's smart. To avoid the lecture, he said, "Can I go clean our room all by myself to pay for it?" "It will pay for some of the book. I don't know how much the book is worth, but it's worth more than one job."

'A Christmas Story' moment flashes across his face again... And he can tell it's about to only get worse for him. I proceed to tell him that if he does a half assed job or tells me he's done before he's really done, it's going to deduct from the money that he would have earned for the job. (Doing things correctly the first time is a big lesson in our house too.)

But in the end, he did it, without any complaints, without any half assedness, without telling me it was done when it wasn't...

So I'm proud of my G. He's struggled quite a bit lately emotionally and physically... But he's rebounding and realizing that if he just does it the way it's supposed to be done the first time... His life is much, much easier.

Now, why can't the rest of us learn that lesson?