September 13, 2007

I'm afraid he'll never learn.

Well it looks like Boopie is up to old tricks. It was discovered through deductive reasoning and his inability to tell a lie. Well he can lie, but he’s really, really bad at it. Apparently he’s just been getting up in the morning, watching TV and not making his lunch or anything. He’s been borrowing money from a friend with promises to pay it back and buying a lunch. Then he comes harassing me about his allowance, which won’t cover how much he’s borrowed. He gets his financial sense from his biological father.

It started with me noticing that the items I bought for him to take for lunch were not being used. I knew he probably wasn’t eating, but I wanted to get his side of the story before I confronted him. And this is what happened:

Me: What did you have for lunch today?

Boopie: A Sandwich and some chips.

Me: Really? What did you make the sandwich out of?

Boopie: We’re out of bread aren’t we?

Me: You tell me. What did you make a sandwich with.

Boopie: My friend A-boy gave me a couple pieces of bread to make a sandwich with.

Me: Really? He gave you the meat and cheese too?

Boopie: No, I brought some of ours.

Me: Boopie, that has to be the worst lie I’ve heard you tell.

Boopie: …

Me: We aren’t out of bread, we have a brand new loaf. When I made my sandwich this morning I used the last of the old loaf, I can see you didn’t open the new one. I can also see that you haven’t been eating the lunchmeat or cheese.

The conversation went on from there, but he told three more obvious lies, got grounded, and is now sulking in his room. I also told him that it’s time for him to start taking responsibility for his actions. The next time I catch him not making a lunch, eating or telling a lie; I’m going to make sure the consequences match his actions.

If only he could tell a half way believable lie.

Posted by Contagion in Family Life at September 13, 2007 03:55 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Heh... Only a man would tell how he caught the kid. LOL.

Never let on what tipped you off. *grin* Make them think you're omnipotent - it helps keep them in line. ;-)

As for the sandwich - have him make it the night before, put the lunch together and put it in the frig - then all he has to do is grab it on his way out the door. I used to have my kids to that.

Posted by: Teresa at September 13, 2007 06:33 PM

Are you sure my youngest boy isn't living at your house? He does exactly the same thing. We have him make it the night before, like Teresa suggested, but then he 'forgets' it. He LIKES mooching off the other kids.

Posted by: Mrs. Who at September 13, 2007 07:45 PM

He will never learn about financial responsibility until you make him see the light.

Let him keep borrowing money from people (within reason) and let him pay the price for not being able to pay it back, like giving him his possesions to the kid for a payback.

They need to learn very young about financial responsiblity or they will end up like a lot of people who eyes are bigger then their wallets and losing their house, cars, and posessions.

Posted by: Quality Weenie at September 14, 2007 10:52 AM