teachable moments

[GingerN]

My youngest daughter just called me from school. She asked me to come to school and bring her a pair of pants since they had gone to the creek as a class and she was now soaked up to her thighs in her blue jeans and boots..I refused...I am at work on a break, but I can't leave. I told her she would not be in this spot if she had her bug out bag with her. Her reply was " I know..I started to grab shorts this morning, but Daddy made me mad and I forgot them on the back seat of the truck." Me: "you'll just have to walk around wet then won't you..." her "I'll borrow Avery's gym shorts"... Me" gym shorts and your cowboy boots...? Really?" Her: "eww.. maybe not... I took them off and just have my socks on now...will you call BIL to bring me some clothes?"
Me: No, you call him.
Her: MOM!!! (I never get the MOM without exasperation-usually it is Mama or Mommy)
ME: I reckon you'll learn to have at least a little bug out bag with you now, wont you?
Her: I guess....

Tonight, I plan on supervising the "school appropriate" bug out bag...Granted it is only for 2 days...but still. It is a good thing though that I confiscated the boot knife she adores before now..I could just see the trouble she would be in if she pulled off her boot and a knife fell out of them.

[lakemom1]

Bless your heart, it's hard sometimes, isn't it? Anytime I have used an opportunity like this to teach my kids a lesson it made me feel guilty as all get-out lol. I did it anyway, but it sure was hard sometimes.

[GingerN]

Oh yeah. It is hard. She was not mad at me for not coming to her rescue, lol. Hopefully, she will remember she needs to have back up. I just can't figure out why the lit teacher took them to the creek...oh well. School lets out in 2 days, so maybe they were just having a "not all learning comes from a book moment".

[4Him]

Oh yeah. It is hard. She was not mad at me for not coming to her rescue, lol. Hopefully, she will remember she needs to have back up. I just can't figure out why the lit teacher took them to the creek...oh well. School lets out in 2 days, so maybe they were just having a "not all learning comes from a book moment".

I always figured it was my job to teach my daughter and step-daughters that actions have consequences. And the sooner the better. A lot better to learn this when it is a pair of wet jeans than something a whole lot more serious. What you did was totally appropriate and requires no guilt.

You took full advantage of that teachable moment and your daughter will thank you when she is older. She may even thank you now as it sounds like you have done a great job so far.

Parenting and getting old ain't for sissys.