Ding Dong...

...the kid is dead. 

Not really, but he is grounded.  

**This post reflects the not so fun aspects of parenting. There are no photos to accompany this post, but if there were, they'd depict steam coming out of dad's ears and tears and shame in a little boys eyes.**  

This evening Ryan received a call from our neighbor, whom happens to be a stay at home dad of an infant and toddler, J-man's would be 4th grade teacher, and one of the nicest guys on the block.  As Ryan answers the phone, I listen to Ryan's voice become serious, a few OKs, Oh we will talk for sure, and I'm sorry...  I knew instantly that something was wrong, but I was thinking more along the lines of a death, sickness, a navy mishap...  Well, I was wrong...

Our boy was caught ringing and running...

This ringing and running has been happening for a few weeks without our knowledge because no one had been caught until today.  According to J-man, this was the first time he did it and he was with another little boy who was the instigator, but J-man was the only one to get caught...ugh.

We gave J-man the benefit of the doubt and believed him when he told us it was the first time because he did actually own up to ringing and running, but that did not change the severity of the punishment. 

**I will admit when you hear a 9 year old try to lie, it's pretty funny.  He's horrible at it even though he thinks he's fooling us.  We've all tried to lie at some point, some of us held out longer than others, but we've all confessed and cried and survived our punishment(s).  It's life.  For every action, there is a consequence, good or bad.**

He learned a lesson of respect, peer pressure, what it feels like to have your father disappointed in you, and the consequences of his actions this evening.  It's the first time we have grounded him and hopefully the last...hopefully being the key word. 

The Verdict Is In:

• No friends because he is having issues making proper decision with them
• No electronics because he loves them
• He can still play outside, read books, draw and use his imagination. 
• In true Sarah fashion, he will be writing a letter of apology to our neighbor for his behavior.  He might even be writing one to Ryan and I for the embarrassment he put us through.

Thank the Lord Ryan was home to handle this one.  Some situations just need the voice of a father to get the point across and to keep a level head when receiving  the news.  I came in handy immediately following the call when he needed to calm down and run a plan of action by me.  Finishing homework was a must. 

He's a good kid at heart that made a bad decision today and got caught.   We have not had to punish him yet, but his actions today impacted not only a grown man, but a 9 week old baby, a toddler and a dog.  I can just imagine getting the toddler and baby down to bed and thinking "Thank God, a moment of peace of quiet for myself," when the doorbell rings making the dog bark and waking up the kids...only to find no one at your door. I'd be furious.

Oh the joys of parenting :)  It's going to be a fun week.  

And the good kid award goes to...

LIRA! (joking of course)

Did we do ok?

Much love.