Hard knocks
My eldest came home from school with the news that his I-Pod had been stolen from his gym locker. I stifled my impulse to say "I told you so." Hubby and I had tried to discourage him from taking it to school, knowing that theft is a problem. He's had his backpack stolen, his gym clothes and his gym locker lock (bewilderingly, gym clothes and gym locker lock did not happen at the same time). His friends have had items stolen, too. But he insisted on taking it because he wanted to take his music to school - it was one of his reasons for saving up for and buying the I-Pod. In the end, we let him do as he wanted with the admonition that he recognize that if it were stolen, it would be an expensive lesson for him. Did he really want to risk losing something worth $300?
It's been interesting to watch how he is dealing with the theft. When he told me, he was more mad than sad. How dare someone take something that was his? And he had such faith that justice would be done. He provided the serial number for his I-Pod for the theft report and checked regularly to see if it had been found. But he's now resigned himself that it is gone and he's talking about how he'll save up for a new one - not an easy thing for a young teen. I cautiously asked if he's learned his lesson and will leave the next one at home. He restated his initial reasoning for an I-Pod and said he'd probably take it again.
Damn.
So I wrestle with my parental dilemma: a struggle between my desire to protect him from harm and the knowledge that he needs to experience hard lessons as part of the maturing process. It's not easy. It's as difficult a lesson for me as it is for him.
Parenting isn't for wimps.
It's been interesting to watch how he is dealing with the theft. When he told me, he was more mad than sad. How dare someone take something that was his? And he had such faith that justice would be done. He provided the serial number for his I-Pod for the theft report and checked regularly to see if it had been found. But he's now resigned himself that it is gone and he's talking about how he'll save up for a new one - not an easy thing for a young teen. I cautiously asked if he's learned his lesson and will leave the next one at home. He restated his initial reasoning for an I-Pod and said he'd probably take it again.
Damn.
So I wrestle with my parental dilemma: a struggle between my desire to protect him from harm and the knowledge that he needs to experience hard lessons as part of the maturing process. It's not easy. It's as difficult a lesson for me as it is for him.
Parenting isn't for wimps.
posted by bemused at 11:20 AM
2 Comments:
I think I have it hard with 2 cats and a dog. Wink is not getting a $300 iPod!
You're a good mom. :)
May I quote you when I get grief from my kids? :-)
LOL, I just had an image of Wink wearing headphones and carrying his I-Pod! Continue to be thankful you don't need to buy these kinds of toys for your "kids". I am stunned at how expensive everything is and how easily kids seem to shrug off the cost. It's not that they don't think $300 is a lot of money but few things marketed these days are inexpensive so maybe it's all relative to them. That seems so wrong but if I say anything, I get looks and comments likely similar to the sort of thing I used to give my folks' when they commented about "today's youth". What goes around...
Post a Comment
<< Home