Horses & Bubble Gum: Thou Shalt Not Steal

Well, it's time to get back on my blogging wagon. I've said that before and promptly fell back off, but I am determined this time to continue to document this roller coaster ride I fondly refer to as my life. I started this blog in early 2009 and plan to continue it until I get bored or my husband takes away my laptop.

Things are BEGINNING to slow down around here...what with a new baby, new house, new viewpoint, and new career as a stay at home mom, it has taken some adjusting.

 

Christa is nearly 5 months old now. She is the happiest little shorty I know of....but she occasionally will throw a wall-eyed temper tantrum to the amazement of her parents. She has been sleeping through the night since she was 6 weeks old and began eating "REAL" food on her 4 month birthday. One bite, and she was sold. She gave me an incredulous look as if to say, "Where you been hidin' this stuff sista?'

 

She smiles, coos, sings, recognizes familiar faces, army crawls, rocks on all fours, sits up and laughs hysterically when you tickle her tiny armpits. She thinks her sister is da bom dot com and is constantly entertained by her antics.

 

Sydney is a fresh-faced 4 yr old who is thick in her 2nd year of Pre-K. She knows all of her letters, numbers, shapes, colors, and a laundry list of site words. She says some of the most cornpone things that I document them constantly on Facebook. I plan on compiling her thoughts in a book one day entitled, "What Syd Says."

While we are on the subject of Syd, let's travel back in time to last Tuesday of this week. When Miss Muffet came home from school, we unpacked her backpack as per our usual routine. We found a surprise guest in the backpack last week in the shape of a "Barbie-sized" plastic horse. I knew immediately it did not belong to her. The following conversation began:

M: What is this?
S: Uh, it's a horse.
M: I know it is a horse, but what it is doing in your backpack?
S: I put it there.
M: Why?
S: I wanted it.
M: Where did it come from?
S: School.
M: Who does it belong to?
S: My teacher.
M: WHY did you take it?
S: I WANTED IT!

I took a deep breath and walked away for a moment. Well, here we go....my child is Al Capone & Bonnie Parker wrapped up into one.

"Hand over the horse and nobody gets hurt."

When I was about 8 years old, I was in Wal-Mart with my mom doing some minor shopping...this was back when Wal-Mart was not "super" and brown was it's signature color. This was also the time when the corn dog & lemonade stand was in full action in front of Wal-Mart and the pony in front worked like a charm...anyway...

I saw a string of gum balls. They were individually wrapped and in a long strand in the candy section. Ever so discreetly, I snapped a gum ball off the bottom of the strand, popped it into my mouth, and went along my merry way.

Later, my chawing jaws got me into serious trouble. My mother asked where the wad of gum came from and I responded just like Sydney.

M: Where did you get that gum?
R: The store.
M: Did you pay for it?
R: No.
M: Did you take it?
R: Yes.
M: WHY?
R: CAUSE I WANTED IT!

My punishment was one I still remember vividly to this day. She took me home and we raided my "piggy bank." I was quickly informed that I would be purchasing the ENTIRE strand of gum that I botched up. Well, that was fine with me. Gum is awesome.

Upon returning to the store, I quickly found the strand that was one gum ball short. Purchased it with a smile (had just enough money) and went along my merry way. When mom and I pulled into the apartment complex, she stopped the car next to to the dumpster. I looked at her like she had lost her ever loving mind.

I asked, "What are we doing?"
She replied, "Throw it away."
In sheer horror I responded, "WHAT?!"
"Throw it away. NOW."

I threw the entire beloved strand of about 25 pieces of gum away in the trash can. I was horrified. What a WASTE of money! That was my money.

She said, "When you choose to steal you only hurt yourself. That gum was not yours to take. Someone who would have bought that strand would have had one piece missing because of YOU. Never steal anything and NEVER forget what you had to do today."

Guess what? I never forgot that lesson. It made such a HUGE impact on me that to this day, I cannot even take as much as a paper clip from the desk at work. It bothers the supreme fire out of me. If it ain't mine, I ain't touching it.

I bet you're wondering what happened with the Syd. Let's just say I wanted to make the same impact on her.

Her DADDY took her to school. She had to apologize to her teacher. Return Achan's horse, AND, pay restitution in the form of a toy from her own personal toy box that was donated to the school.

Harsh? Nope. I hope she NEVER forgets this lesson about stealing. Will she mess up again? You betcha, and probably before the sun goes down today. But, I believe firmly in raising up a child in the way they should go, because when they're old, they will blog about the wonderful lesson they learned...AND NEVER depart from it.