so, ive apparently raised a thief!!!
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mrsmaup · 08-22-2003, 10:36 AM

We have tried really hard to instill morals into our children, one of which is YOU DONT TAKE THINGS THAT DONT BELONG TO YOU OR THAT YOU DID NOT PAY FOR!!!!!

Well, little thief boy apparently took an ear of corn off a neighbors row.

Now, this dosent seem like a big deal in the scheme of life, but he KNOWS to not do this, also the boy he was with is a total eddie haskel type who has gotten into big time trouble for stealing from school and seems to drag my son, a willing participant I must say, into a ton of trouble this last week.

So, how would you punish for this AND how do you teach your child to not be such a follower. To grow a backbone. When we asked him and his other friend why they followed trouble maker when they both knew it was wrong, they said that troublemaker told them it was okay. DO YOU JUMP OFF A CLIFF BECAUSE SOMEBODY TELLS YOU TO????

Sigh!!!

Last night, my hsuband marched him down to the neighbors, my son apologized(and started crying out of shame) and he will be spending 2 hours on Monday pulling weeds from this lady's garden and he is grounded for 2 weeks....

Ya think you are doing okay as a parent, and then WHAM!!!!!

AKLRULZ · 08-22-2003, 10:38 AM

Sounds like the punishment fit that crime - I'm sure he'll learn a lesson from it.

Joanne929 · 08-22-2003, 11:28 AM

Hopefully he'll learn from his punishment.
Don't forget though that sometimes they have to make the mistake to remember what we're trying to teach them.
Can you keep your son away from the Eddie Haskell kid? I find that when my oldest DS is acting up, I curb his playtime with certain kids in the neighborhood.

ariel1 · 08-22-2003, 02:33 PM

this parenting thing can be tough, can't it? well, i think you're doing the right thing in his punishment. to some it may sound harsh, but the "slap on the wrist" type of punishments aren't what i remember making a difference. it's when mom and dad lowered the boom, so to speak. restricting his time with "eddie" to just supervised time is good for everyone. hopefully, it will give eddie a chance to benefit from your rules in your house where your family can be a positive influence on him. i think you handled this beautifully!

mrsmaup · 08-22-2003, 04:30 PM

Thank you. I needed to hear that. I was having a bit of an "im a reject of a parent" day today!LOL!!

Thanks!

Any suggestions on how to help him develop a moral backbone. To make him less of a follower?

I want my mommie to handle this!LOL!!

Bert & Sully · 08-22-2003, 10:20 PM

Kristie that will come with time and maturity. Sounds like you're building a pretty solid foundation to support that.

**disneyknut** · 08-22-2003, 11:32 PM

Kristi,
This parenting stuff is hard huh?? My boys have had some harrowing moments with other children (read some of my previous venting posts) IMHO as a parent & also as a person who was there for most every step of my nieces 21 years that the 'corn incident' might just be what your DS needs to get that moral backbone... Especially if "Eddie' was also punished... he might not be so quick to follow him.. I don't think you mentioned but did "eddie' also get in any trouble with his parents?

patty c. · 08-23-2003, 12:16 AM

Hi Kristie -
I think it sounds like are doing the right things to develop a moral backbone in your children. Of course, the best lesson is to set a good example yourself, which I'm sure you do. I think the biggest reason children don't have a moral backbone anymore is because parents are unwilling to set firm boundries on what is right and wrong -- or even admit that there IS such as thing as right and wrong. The best thing we can do is call a spade a spade. Stealing is stealing, lying is lying, etc. Kids today are too good at excuses and parents are to willing to accept them.
I pray that my children will be caught if they are doing something wrong -- and I tell them this all the time. Sort of freaks them out. Our kids have a way of keeping us humble, don't they? Keep up what you're doing, and remember to balance discipline with lots of LOVE. [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]

mrsmaup · 08-23-2003, 12:26 AM

well, Eddie Haskell goes back to school on Monday, where he can now torture and terrorize them vs us!LOL!!

My son and the other boy(there was my son, his friend and eddie) have been banned from ANY unsupervised playtime w/Eddie, and I mean ANY! Maybe once they each grow a moral backbone that isnt bendable, they will get more freedom

He wont see much of Eddie after Monday, because the school bus does not get back to town until 4pm and Cody has to come in at 6pm fo rthe night and on the weekends, we are rarely home.

Of course he wont be seeing ANYONE for the next 2 weeks!LOL!!

I feel a little bad for the Eddie boy, as a Christian, but I cant sacrafice my son, so Eddie isnt isolated(which he is now that my son and the other boy arent allowed to play w/him unsupervised).

I hate dealing w/this!LOL!!