Don't Smoke!

Have I not posted this story????

I don't remember what led up to the conversation. I do remember is was one of those times where I thought, "This is a teaching moment - seize it". The topic of smoking came up one day when we were all at home in our kitchen. I thought to myself....it's not a one time topic of conversation...so use this opportunity to tell the kids the dangers of smoking.

I gave my speech-impressed with my proactive approach. My daughter nodded along in agreement. Looking me in the eye and declaring "I will NEVER smoke." I, for one, think she may keep this promise.

My son, looking like he had an internal struggle raging, looks at me. He, too looks me in the eye, and says "Mommy, remind me EVERY day not to smoke because I think I might want to because it looks so cool."

Now on any given day, you can hear any of the following off hand comments

• "Don't smoke"
• "Did I remind you today not to smoke?"
• "You forgot to remind me today, not to smoke".

Crime & Justice

I can't help but remain amazed by the differences in my kids...here's an example.

The other day The Girl walked in and witnessed a scene from a new TV series that premiered last week. The scene was a bit of an aside...a glimpse into the main characters sorted past, no doubt. In this scene, a clerk is working in a convenience store. His good for nothing dad walks in and stuffs several things into his shirt and then only pays for a pack of cigarettes. The son (the clerk) weakly protests but the dad just walks out with the stolen goods. My daughter was APPALLED! Why did the Dad steal that stuff? Why didn't his son stop him? Doesn't he know that's wrong? Why doesn't he call the police on his dad?

For a moment, I begin to respond about the power of a parent over a kid but then stop and ask "What would you do?". Without missing a beat, she says she would run after him and take the stuff back or just call the police. I do not doubt, one bit, that she would do this. Her sense of right and wrong is just part of her. I see her future where she will fight injustice and/or fire slacker employees for taking 61 minute lunches.

On the flip side...

I was at Wal-Mart with The Boy. We wander through and pick up the handful of things we need. The clerk talk to him...tells him how cute he is...and he mustered up a 'thank you' but no real conversation. We grab our bag and begin to walk out. He says to me, "I really want to shoplift." Not in a sneaky way, not kidding me, just a matter of fact sentence. I immediately ask him if he even knows what it means? Does he know it's stealing? Does he know he could go to JAIL for shop lifting? He answers, "Yes" to all my questions and then says, "I just want to do it to see what it's like".

Really????? You are FIVE!!! Do I have to have this conversation today? And by the way, I forgot to remind you today (per your request) "Don't Smoke".

It's like a setup for a comic book or movie series. The hero and the anti-hero in a cosmic battle of good and evil and in the end we find they are brother and sister.