A Lesson Learned

It seems that Jake only remembered part of the punishment. Tonight the kids were talking about an incident that happened a few years back. Jake cut the screen in his window. They window was new.

This is how he remembers it happened: I cut the screen with my finger nail clipper knife. I got spanked and made to work at Emilee's to earn money to pay for my screen. I used the money (smirk) to buy toys.

What actually happened: He used his finger nail clipper knife to cut the screen. He got a spanking. The girls and I went to the Farmers Market without him (Mike was hunting). Jake went to aunt Emilee's and she gave him several jobs, hard jobs, to earn money to pay for his screen. He gave me the money (I secretly gave it back to Emilee).

So in an effort to remind him of the lesson he was to have learned, I call him in, I remind him what happened & I say "It was not a funny thing." he tips his head down, he looks remorseful & then perks up. "Mom" he says, "I gotta cut my screen if there is a fire by my door. Then I can get to safety!"

Lesson learned, for both of us. ...there better be a fire next time he cuts his screen...