On Consequences

By Moriah on February 20th, 2009

I watch Nicky’s older boys for about an hour every Thursday so she can teach her music class. Drew’s in school, so it’s just Madeline and James (4 days apart) and Adelaide and Etienne (one week apart).

(No, we did not plan that. Everyone thinks it’s funny to ask.)

Anyway, they usually get along just fine – they’ve played together practically their whole lives. And on the nice days they stay outside mostly, which is great for me.

Yesterday James and Madeline thought it’d be a good idea to pick all my daffodils and come stuff them in the toilet. I didn’t catch them until I had a toilet FULL of stems. Lovely.

I did make James help me pick up three buckets full of toys he dumped out in Drew’s room. But I didn’t think Nicky’d appreciate me having him dig around in my toilet. So I let that slide.

Madeline wasn’t quite so lucky. I got a grocery sack and told her that she needed to help me get all the daffodils she’d picked back out of the toilet bowl. (YES it was clean water. Don’t freak out.)

You may be cringing. But I need my kids to know that we are responsible for our actions and sometimes (usually?) there are consequences in this fallen world.

Of course, Madeline thought it was fun. (And she has no clue what a germ is.) But that’s sort of besides the point. And yes, I changed her shirt and scrubbed her arms down afterwards.

So here’s hoping she doesn’t stuff my toilet full of flowers again.

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Filed under It's A Mom Thing | Comments (15)

15 Responses to “On Consequences”

lots_of_love_four_kids on February 20, 2009 4:48 pm
Oh my word- where did they come up with daffodils in the toilet?!? :)
We are on the same page at our house with having consequences for actions. – My kids know that if you make a mess- you clean it up. (That’s not to say that I won’t help- but they need to know what the expectations are.)
thanks for sharing this…. :)
hope that you have a good day today- without a flowery toilet!
-Jenni
diber on February 20, 2009 5:27 pm
LOL. the toilet?! I’d love a window into kid’s minds sometimes.

E was really into smooshing goldfish crackers into the carpet recently. Yea, that didn’t last long. I made him pick them up by hand, cause ot would’ve been too FUN to use the vaccuum cleaner. *sigh*
MommyAmy on February 20, 2009 5:32 pm
Yikes! Well, at least they didn’t flush, right? Please tell me they didn’t try to flush them! lol
Mamacita on February 20, 2009 5:46 pm
Yeah, the toilet was both clever and cheeky. I like the consequences…I sit on my big bottom and direct my kids in clean up. It takes forever! But then they learn and I never actually move.
Nicky on February 20, 2009 6:07 pm
Hey, next time make James do it too. He would probably think it was a blast too, but don’t make Mad. take all the blame. If you can handle toilet water, than I can.
Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect on February 20, 2009 6:51 pm
Oh my! I know that doing things like this (or combing her hair with sauce-covered pasta or all the strange things my daughter does) is part of learning…but I just have to wonder how on EARTH they think of these things!!!

And I think you’re absolutely right about consequences – they are real, and our kids need to know it and feel it. More of that learning process…

Plus, I remember reading somewhere on here that you are big on cleaning your bathroom (or did I imagine that?), so I’m sure she was just fine. :)
Nichole on February 20, 2009 11:12 pm
you have daffodils already???? I’m so jealous. I wish it was spring!!
Trina on February 21, 2009 3:44 am
lol I think you did what I would have done… Make her clean it up and then scrub her down afterward. But seriously where do they come up with that stuff? Flowers in a toilet? Maybe they thought they would grow better with all that water? LOL Too funny.
mer@lifeat7000feet on February 21, 2009 5:33 am
Maybe they thought they were doing the right thing by putting them in water? You were wise to use that as a lesson about consequences.

So…really? You have daffodils blooming? *jealous*

And hey, I saw your mom today! She’s just SO sweet.
JanMary on February 21, 2009 8:49 am
I definitely agree on the consequences.

What is MUCH more disturbing about this post is that you have DAFFODILS! – already? (or at least you HAD daffodils, not so many left now)
Monica on February 21, 2009 1:08 pm
Really? I read in amazement about what goes on at your house. Makes for great posts though and I’m glad you have an outlet!
Jason and Gretchen on February 21, 2009 7:24 pm
I love (maybe in a sick way?) teaching them about consequences! They’ve got to learn!
chickadee@afamiliarpath on February 21, 2009 8:24 pm
daffodils in the toilet? that’s a first for me.
Jackie @ Our Moments Our Memories on February 23, 2009 4:54 pm
I agree with the whole consequences thing for sure. And the more you can make the discipline match the initial actions, the better, because then they really get it.
Larissa on February 24, 2009 8:28 pm
didn’t you ever consider the toilet a vase waiting to happen?