It's official.
We are that family.
You know the ones. The ones where if anything happens in the neighborhood everybody automatically knows who did it. That kid up the street who always seems to be in trouble.
Our position was permanently solidified yesterday when our neighbor called to find out if we had any windows that had been shot out like his back window. They had been out of town and found it upon returning home. Brad went to investigate and found a window with a BB sized hole in it.
Guess who was playing with a BB gun on Monday?
After a grueling interrogation (I don't think bamboo shoots were used, but I can't be sure), Eli confessed to accidentally shooting the neighbors' window. Unfortunately for him, he hit the nicest window in our part of the neighborhood. A floor to ceiling, single-pane picture window. One the homeowners love, I'm sure. Why he couldn't have hit a bedroom or basement window is beyond me. It's a $740 window. Brad was livid. He wanted to ground Eli from everything until he was 16. I told him that was a bit unreasonable. So he said Eli could be beaten like a red-headed stepchild and grounded from everything this summer. I told him that was also unreasonable since grounding Eli would also ruin my summer...and that beating was probably illegal. Eli is grounded from the Wii for lying by omission until he pays us back for the window. And just how is Eli going to pay us back for the window?
One $1 job at a time.
It's going to be a looooong summer.
He's going to be doing A BUNCH of extra jobs around the house, each equaling about $1. There's already a running tally sheet on the fridge for jobs accumulated. How much he'll actually have to do is still being decided. I think he should have to "repay" $400 since some of the blame has to be put on the parents who allowed to use the BB gun in the first place. When I relayed the story yesterday morning to my hair gal, she took pity on him and had Eli fold towels, sweep the porch, wash all the hair color bowls, and take out the trash. When we headed to McDonald's for lunch today, I made him get a hamburger and apple dippers off the dollar menu and water because "I just don't have enough money to buy you a Happy Meal since I have to pay for the window." This afternoon he vacuumed out my car. Tomorrow's jobs include taking out all my bathroom trash, cleaning the banister and stairs, wiping down all the windowsills with Pledge, and cleaning the baseboards in my bedroom. I figure if I can find about 5 jobs a day then it will only take him till the middle of August to work off his debt.
Like I said, it's going to be a long summer.
If anyone has any menial jobs a 7-year-old can do, let me know. I'll send him over because I'm bound to run out of things for him to do occasionally. I don't think we'll have him stand at the end of our road with a cardboard "Will Work For Dollars" sign.
Yet.
And HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little brother, Ben, who never did shoot out a window with a BB gun, but did teach my little sister how to jump off the roof of our house onto the trampoline. It's the BIG 3-0! We love you!
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8 comments:
So sad for Eli....poor guy just doing what little boys do! Maybe for his bday he needs cash and not gift cards to take off part of his load. I am sad for him.
that is rough, both for Eli and for you! I also think it's a good idea that any money he gets for his birthday goes towards the window fund. I bet Eli will learn some important life lessons this summer-and that's always a good thing. Good luck!
so funny! great way to teach responsibility though. I applaud the parenting decision! :-) and yay for you getting lots of jobs done!
Poor Eli, he is learning a good lesson about bad choices though, and much better to learn them at this age than when he is older.
And look at the bright side---you will have the cleanest baseboards and window sills in your neighborhood!
L.
I think you are doing a great job teaching him about being responsible for his actions. To me it's not so much that he broke the window, it' that he did not come tell you or the neighbor when it happened. Anyone can have an accident, but everyone one needs to admint when they have had one. Be strong...all summer long!
This is coming from a little old lady who has raised 5 children, many, many foster children, not to mention some grandchildren and some great grandchildren..........
I think you are on the right track. One thing I found out was it was easier to not set limits on punishments, either the dollar amounts or time amounts, right at first. After a few days, weeks sometimes it becomes clearer as to how much you need to do. I think you want the punishment to help remedy the behavior that caused the need for punishment.
I really enjoy reading and watching your little ones grow.
Old Mary from VA
Wow...a $740 window? I giggle at this whole situation, but yet am a bit nervous that our day is coming! I love how you're handling the "punishment phase". You're such an awesome mom!
Tough love is not easy. I think this will be a good lesson for him though. :) If you all are in Dallas this Summer you can bring Eli over and I'll give him a few jobs and I can make you an iced latte.
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