Stealing

Cougar, Phoenix and I went to AutoZone today to switch cars with Mark. Cougar kept asking for different kinds of candy and I kept telling him "No". As we were getting back into the car he said in his sad voice "Mom, I don't want to go to jail, because I love you."

"Okay..." I said not knowing where that came from, but he's often saying very strange things. As I'm buckling him up he tells me he's got candy in a paper bag he was carrying his stuffed animals in. "What?" I open the bag and sure enough right there with his stuffed monkey is a package of Sour Patch Kids. He was quickly marched back to the store where we talked about how stealing was wrong and he had to apologize to the manager (Daddy). I felt kind of rotten that I hadn't been watching him close enough to notice. I was shocked that my sweet boy was turning into a criminal. (I had visions of piercing and tattoos and crazy hair on my sweet little boy in a bright orange jumpsuit) I gave myself a big F on my forehead. Then I realized that he knew it was wrong and he felt bad about it. That means I'm doing something right. We had a teaching moment and hopefully he won't do it again. I can remember stealing a mailbox of conversation hearts when I was around 4 or so. I had eaten all but one before my mom noticed, and the only reason she did notice was because I proudly proclaimed that I was going to share the last one with my older sister, Heidi. I turned out all right (at least I think I did) so there's still hope for Cougie.