Several years ago there was a little boy who lived in our neighborhood. His stepfather was truckdriver and his mom worked night shift an hour away, then pretty much slept most the day. He was a nice boy that ran too freely and did pretty much what he wanted, often getting the other neighborhood kids in trouble.
One day, I remember looking out the door and it seemed to be he had a bb gun and was shooting at fish and frogs in the pond across the street. I FLEW out the door! When I approached them, the kids jumped up hid the gun behind their back with nervous expressions.
I asked Brooke what they were doing? More specifically, I asked if they were shooting at the fish and frogs in the pond. "Oh no," they all chimed in. "Brooke?" She lied.
There were three things I was struggling with. First, the kids were playing with a bb gun. I felt like the mom on The Christmas Story saying that someone could have gotten shot in the eye! Secondly, they thought nothing of hurting fish and frogs. If you hurt them, it better be with the intent to eat them! Last but not least, I just caught Brooke in her first lie.
Think wisely. Punish appropriately.
I called Brooke's dad. He was concerned, but he is a softy heart when it comes to Brooke. I explain to him that I need his support, he agreed. Brooke doesn't know at this point that I have called him, because she is about to call her dad and make a confession of what she did.
Calling her dad and confessing what she had done broke her heart. She had to tell him everything and cried the whole way through the conversation. Thankful I gave him a *warning* heads up, he responded and backed me up 100%.
It's funny, I forget what her punishment was, but I vividly remember and appreciated our ability to team-parent well during this situation.
Fast forward to yesterday, I caught Brooke in a lie to me.
She forged my signature on a school paper, which was fine with me because I had forgotten to sign it. When I recognized it wasn't my signature, she denied it.
I have to say that I had to stare at the signature for a long period of time, it was that close. She still denied it when I knew what she had done. She then put on quite a performance on how I never believe her, that's what did her in.
It's been years, but "reminders" are warranted.
Approaching her teen years ... I am tough love.
Another moment where I wished Kieth was here to team parent, again. On my own, I gave her a "reminder."
Then, needing a bit of support I called my dad.
Minutes before my calling him it was deja' vu, me in trouble as a little girl with my dad. Now, I call my dad as a mom with my own little girl that got herself in hot water.
Love, support and encouragement is what I got. Such a good dad, such a great Papa!
Before I can blink, someday I will get the same call from Brooke with her little one. Until then, I am a tough-love mom and I hope her reminder is remembered.
