Bad Parenting???

OK, so Sharon said I have to share this story...so here it goes.

This afternoon I received a call from the school (usually not a good sign, especially since Byron beat up some kid at the beginning of the year and that is the only other time they have ever called). And on the other end was the Vice Principal calling to tell me there was a problem with Byron but that he needed to tell me what was wrong. So she hands the phone to him and I can hear him whispering on the phone to her, and so I say "Hey Buddy what's up?" Byron sighs and begins to sob. Then through his sobbing I get the story of he has stolen a dollar from me and some boy found it and got in trouble for it, but Byron told the truth that it was his and now he is in trouble for it. So I told him ok you don't have to steal to buy Otter Pops from the school, just ask me and we will find ways for you to earn the money. And then I said I love you, and then the Vice Principal says (in the background) "Give me the phone." She gets on the phone and says it was not One Dollar it was a 100 dollar bill! That is why we are so concerned about it, and you will have to come and pick it up from us. I hung up thanking her for calling me.

(I know what you guys are thinking...who has money like that laying around to steal. Well you see Steve won the biggest loser contest and with that money we were buying food storage, so we kept it in his top drawer so we could pay cash for the food. So no we aren't so rich that we have $100's laying around everywhere, in fact we are the opposite.)

Anyways when Byron came home I got the full story. Byron stole the money last night from the dresser. He put it in his pants pocket and lost it at school. The kid in his class found it and tried to use it to buy Otter Pops. The teacher found out and he got in trouble. Byron felt so bad that he confessed it was his, and then he got into trouble. They had him call me to tell me the truth. The Vice Principal told me when I picked it up that kids his age didn't know the difference between $1 & $100 bills because they were all green. I think she forgets that Byron is a very bright kid and he admitted he knew it wasn't a $1, but was $100 (so he could buy more Otter Pops).

So now I am feeling like somewhere along the way we forgot to teach our kids the importance of money and how bad stealing really is. We sat him down and explained how hard his daddy has to work to earn $100, and how we are tight on money due to medical bills from my surgery. He understood and picked his punishment...cleaning up Benny's book mess & room mess from the day (Boy it was like a tornado hit) and he put 2 loads of laundry away for everyone. So I think Steve and I will have to set up a chore chart (at least one that is enforced, we had an existing one that we didn't always follow) and with it have an allowance for the kids.

The nice thing about this whole experience is that we did realize how honest our child was, and we realized that everyone makes mistakes. But because we know about the repentence process we can repent and become clean again. I think Byron has learned his lesson, and the importance of being honest and asking for forgiveness, and that no matter what he has parents who will always love him!!! And one day we will be able to look back and laugh...I think???