Life Lesson

Today I had to teach Cayman a life lesson. I thought he already knew this lesson, and maybe he did to some extent. But today was the day when we REALLY had to sit down and have a good chat about it. 

While checking out at Walmart, the kids usually occupy themselves with all the candy and toys placed right at their eye level. Charis likes to rearrange all the candy (yes, I’m THAT mom that allows my child to do this...I prefer moments of sanity while I’m emptying the cart, reloading the cart, paying for my goods, etc.) Cayman always finds the little cheap toys -- today it was Disney themed flip phones. He asked me (as usual) if he could get one, and I said, “No not today.” So then he picked up a little etch-a-sketch, and I did give in on this particular toy because I love those things and I’m always looking for quiet time activities for him. Unbeknownst to Mama though, he went back to the phones, picked two up and put them in his pocket. Once we were almost to the van (in the 100+ degree temperature, while pushing a cart carrying 50+ lbs of kids plus all the extra groceries, ANNND while I’m 5 months pregnant) he said, “Mom! Look what I have in my pocket!” And he pulled out two of the flip phones. We turned around and headed back into the store, giving me plenty of time to lecture him about stealing and what he was to do once we got back into the store (in the 100+ degree temperature, while pushing a cart carrying 50+ lbs of kids plus all the extra groceries, ANNND while I’m 5 months pregnant). We went straight to our cashier and he embarrassingly handed her the phones and added a quick “Sorry.” I didn’t push him to go through our usual “I’m sorry for......” explaining what he had done wrong and then asking for forgiveness. I could tell he was on the verge of losing it in the middle of the check-out line. I did NOT want to go through that on top of everything else! :)

I called Ian after we got in the van to let him know what had happened and to get his opinion about Cayman’s punishment. We decided to use it as a teaching moment, because I really don’t think that Cayman knew he had done something so wrong. (Yes, yes, I can hear all you Grandmas...he only stole $2 worth of items; we’re thinking mainly the principle of the fact!) :)

I’m actually very glad that we decided to teach him instead of punishing. (It turned into a life lesson for Mama too!) We sat down on his bed (after Charis had gone down for nap so there was no distractions...) and I asked him if he knew what he had done at the store. He said that he had put the phones in his pocket, then had to take them back in and say he was sorry. I explained to him what it means to steal (new vocabulary!), and we read in the Bible how God gave us a rule which says, “Do not steal.” And I talked about how people who continue to steal things have to spend time in jail (hey, it’s the truth!). I also had to explain that stealing doesn’t only mean “taking something from the store.” It means taking a toy out of someone’s hand or taking a toy from a friend’s house when you know it doesn’t belong to you. This conversation may seem so trivial, but it was such a good time for him and me to have a somewhat serious conversation with one another about one of life’s major lessons.

As I walked out of his room so he could take his nap, I heard him murmuring something, so I asked him what he was saying. "I'm just saying, 'Do not steal. Do not steal. Do not steal.'" :)