A Measure of Responsibility

Last Monday (Halloween) was a half day at school, and so it was a rare occasion that Bethany, Connor and Lucy got out of school at the same time. Since Lucy is still a half-day kindergartener, I pick her up before lunch time, and come back at the end of the school day to pick up the other two. I hate dealing with the school traffic at the end of the day (can you say nightmare?!), so I park on the next block and Bethany and Connor walk over to the car. 

When Lucy switches to full day kindergarten eventually, it's my goal to continue not getting out of the dang car in the afternoons. So on the half day I decided to test Bethany and Connor by entrusting them to go to the kindergarten doors after school to get Lucy and walk her to the car with them. Of course after waiting for them for about one minute I started getting nervous that they wouldn't remember. I began to envision Lucy holding her teacher's hand and crying uncontrollably, thinking I forgot her. I couldn't take my own imagination anymore so I got out to check on the situation. And what do you know? there were Bethany and Connor, standing outside the kindergarten doors, waiting patiently for their little sister. Bethany was quite offended that I got out to check, and I was happy and relieved to know that they could be trusted and that when Lucy starts full-day I'll still be able to sit in my nice warm van at pick-up.

I started thinking, wow maybe these kids are more responsible than I give them credit for. And then a couple days later, Bethany was playing outside with her iPod Touch and left it on the porch. When she remembered where it was, she ran out to get it and the entire face was shattered. Because, you know, it was left on the PORCH! Where people, you know, WALK! She is extraordinarily lucky that Chris had the foresight to purchase it on our AmEx and they have refunded the purchase price so she can get a new one. But I think we'll make her sweat for a couple weeks because that thing was like an extra appendage for her. 


Being responsible for one's sibling is way more important than being responsible for one's personal electronics, and I'm willing to give credit where credit is due. It also doesn't hurt that Bethany willingly gave Mathilda a bath tonight, and I wouldn't mind if that became a regular occurrence. But...that was an expensive personal electronic! I almost feel like she shouldn't be allowed to get a new one. However, she did save up and bought it with her own money. And she generously gave Lucy her old iPod Touch. And that is why Chris used the AmEx to buy it - just in case. And it is her most prized possession. So she'll get her new iPod. And I'll try to remember that while she is pretty responsible, she's also 10 years old. Being capable of helping to care for younger siblings is a better measure of responsibility than leaving an iPod laying around where it shouldn't be.

And, I'll remember that when I broke my Michael Jackson sunglasses back in 1984 and was completely devastated, my Uncle Herb bought me a new pair. Just to be nice. A little nice goes a long way.