Well after my son's experience with my mom and stealing, I had hoped he would have learned not to steal. Unfortunately he didn't. In his head he basically decided that he needed to lie better so he wouldn't get caught. He stole from the gift shop at Craters of the Moon. He stole from the trailer supply store his dad goes too.
The pocket knife from the trailer supply store he managed to keep under wraps for a week before getting caught. I was at wits end. What we were doing, taking the items away, making him pay for the item with his money, not allowing him to steal and being grounded for the day wasn't working so two weeks ago we played hard ball.
Conveniently we still needed to switch rooms for the boys and the twins had only crib mattresses on their floor to sleep on. So we cleaned up Ean's stuff, put the crib mattresses in the garage and moved the twins stuff in the bigger room.
Ean was allowed one blanket that night. He's earned a few more blankets and a twin size mattress back but he hasn't earned a bed. He's not allowed to spend the night anywhere, not even grandma. He's not allowed to play with friends and he's only allowed to ride his bike if he's going to the park and I'm biking because he has to bike with me.
*sigh*
I hate hard ball.
Really really hate it but what we were doing wasn't working and I KNOW he's a good kid. Once he makes the decision on stealing it won't ever be an issue for him, but he's got to decide. Hopefully he realizes the consequences just aren't worth it and then, he can realize how good it feels to make righteous choices.
So hardball. That's the game. And we the parents are up to playing, but hopefully we won't ever have to play *quite* that hard again.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
LaGOON!
We're managing to fit some fun into summer. Even though finances are extra tight and it's not always easy to get our crew ready to go anywhere involving early rising. Well, okay, rising in the early am isn't a problem. Getting them dressed, sun screened, pottied and loaded, THAT's the challenge.
Even though money IS tight, we promised the kids a trip to Lagoon. Now they've never been, unless you count Kate going as a fetus when I was four months pregnant with her. So they really had no idea what was in store and well, they're all old enough to enjoy the experience. Plus my mom found these KILLER COUPONS that brought the entrance fee down to $29.00 a person. Best price ever. My mom pitched in and helped with the entry price and we provided food of course.
To say the kids had a blast is the hugest of understatements, lol.
We Sun screened thoroughly and other then a few misunderstandings, with my cell phone being left home and Kent telling us he'd meet us at one ride while saying another (we went with what he said) I'd call the day absolutely perfect.
A few highlights, the twins loved the carousel. David thought that not being able to ride the swings and the adult bumper cars was just plain MEAN and riding the little bumper cars was frustrating because he didn't know how to move if he bumped into the wall. At 47 and 1/2 inches tall Ean was the perfect height to ride every kiddie ride and almost every adult ride.
Ean road "The Screamer" with my mom and proceeded to scream the second it started moving because his mormor shared the rides name with him. Mom says she laughed hysterically through the whole ride. David giggled so much, his daddy thought he would pee his pants while riding the dinosaur egg drop.
We ended the day with a bang, going on the rapids and all of us, except Kent, rode home soaking wet. How unfair is THAT? A few pictures. First David and Greg on the kiddie boats. Who'd thunk this ride would be as fun as it was for them? And it killed Jane waiting for them to ride it too, lol.
Ean on a car
When we were split up, Kent took the twins on the scrambler, he said they kept hitting heads.
Now here's Kate on the cars
And Jane riding the rapids. We all LOVED this one! We would have gone again except it was incredibly late and everyone was getting very cranky and hungry!
So that was Lagoon. Ean asked me the following day why we didn't live there. Deep words, deep words.
Even though money IS tight, we promised the kids a trip to Lagoon. Now they've never been, unless you count Kate going as a fetus when I was four months pregnant with her. So they really had no idea what was in store and well, they're all old enough to enjoy the experience. Plus my mom found these KILLER COUPONS that brought the entrance fee down to $29.00 a person. Best price ever. My mom pitched in and helped with the entry price and we provided food of course.
To say the kids had a blast is the hugest of understatements, lol.
We Sun screened thoroughly and other then a few misunderstandings, with my cell phone being left home and Kent telling us he'd meet us at one ride while saying another (we went with what he said) I'd call the day absolutely perfect.
A few highlights, the twins loved the carousel. David thought that not being able to ride the swings and the adult bumper cars was just plain MEAN and riding the little bumper cars was frustrating because he didn't know how to move if he bumped into the wall. At 47 and 1/2 inches tall Ean was the perfect height to ride every kiddie ride and almost every adult ride.
Ean road "The Screamer" with my mom and proceeded to scream the second it started moving because his mormor shared the rides name with him. Mom says she laughed hysterically through the whole ride. David giggled so much, his daddy thought he would pee his pants while riding the dinosaur egg drop.
We ended the day with a bang, going on the rapids and all of us, except Kent, rode home soaking wet. How unfair is THAT? A few pictures. First David and Greg on the kiddie boats. Who'd thunk this ride would be as fun as it was for them? And it killed Jane waiting for them to ride it too, lol.
Ean on a car
When we were split up, Kent took the twins on the scrambler, he said they kept hitting heads.
Now here's Kate on the cars
And Jane riding the rapids. We all LOVED this one! We would have gone again except it was incredibly late and everyone was getting very cranky and hungry!
So that was Lagoon. Ean asked me the following day why we didn't live there. Deep words, deep words.
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