A Lesson in Responsibility

This morning was a rare morning...aww...who am I kidding. Each morning is a rarity in it's own with 2 boys. Nothing seems to surprise me anymore.

However, this morning, a lesson was learned. While I was trying to get ready and make lunches for our Kids Life Group, I used the very reliable babysitter: a movie. Yet, I chose poorly. I chose a video that I knew Tank would watch, with the hopes that Turbo would watch simply because we watched a portion of it for school yesterday. Turbo DID NOT LIKE MY CHOICE! In fact, he threw a fit because of it. Hardly a surprise.

But what happened next was a surprise. Turbo exited out of the house to the patio where it overlooks our complex's parking lot. We have a rock bed the surrounds the patio. An experienced mama could only guess what happened next.

In his frustration/anger, he picked up a rock and threw it. Thinking his impeccable aim would hit the tree about 10 yard off. I guess we will begin distance guesstimating tomorrow...

He missed and it hit our neighbor's car windshield with a great impact. A bulls eye target dead center in the windshield was the imprint the size of a golf ball.

The sound that reached my ears sent my mouth into the never ending plea, "Oh! Dear Jesus, please don't let that be what I think it was!!!"

Alas, it was.

My child had thrown the rock out of anger/frustration, only to miss the tree, but hit the windshield.

Dismay. After coaxing, dragging, and support, we walked the longest staircase in the world to knock on their door. When they opened it, he said, "I'm sorry for breaking your window!"

His eyes met mine with question and alarm. I explained the story to him and he looked at Turbo and said, "Thank you for being honest! That takes a big boy to do that! Give me a high five for telling the truth!"

Turbo looked at me with a question in his eyes like, "WHAT THE H*$% JUST HAPPENED!"

After our conversation ended with, we will be paying for this windshield, and Turbo will be paying for it out of his weekly commissions, we parted ways.

Turbo asked how he was going to pay for the windshield. I told him that he would probably have to sell some toys and use his money for a very long time to pay it back! The sheer look of terror in his eyes was flooded with tears as he said to me, "BUT I NEED MY MONEY TO BUY MY NEW TOYS!!!"

"Sorry buddy, being angry and throwing things doesn't make you feel better does it! It really only makes things worse. I guess you will have to give your $3/week to them every week for 4 weeks to pay for that windshield."

I'm not sure he has come to grips with this yet, but I'm sure,come this Friday, he will begin to understand what responsibility means.

I think school is done for the day, don't you agree?