My Child Would NEVER.... ummm.. Yes, They Did....

So our whole family got a big life lesson this week in character. On Tuesday, my DH's Grandmother (G.G. To the kids) called to tell me that she was missing two expensive and SENTIMENTAL pieces of jewelry given to her by her late husband ,Bill (not my husbands grandfather, but that side gets complicated... Lol). Well apparently these items had been missing since my girls had spent the night at the end of July. She had looked everywhere, and while she hated to think it, had come to the conclusion that the girls had something to do with the disappearance. At first, my pride got the better of me. "My children would never!" But within about 20 seconds, God was in my ear. How many times a night in the ER am I told this by a parent when I have tell them their child is drunk, high, pregnant, or caused injury to someone? He reminded me; we are all sinners who give birth to sinners. I agreed to talk with the girls that night, still confident in my heart that she was wrong. Well, I was wrong. Before I could get the question out that night , Yang was in tears confessing the whole thing while poor Ying sat there very confused. Turns out Yang had taken them. She admitted to trying to tell us a few times, but either being interrupted or losing her nerve. Then she lost one of the necklaces, and she got even more frightened . She was so scared she stopped trying. In her mind, she couldn't repent if she couldn't "make it right". Since she'd lost it, she couldn't return it.  She did give me the one she still had, and I had to humbly call G.G. She was the picture of Christian forgiveness and compassion for both Yang, as the guilty party, and me, as a very embarrassed mother. Yang was so upset she was unable to talk to G.G. that night, but she called the next day and had a long talk. You know something went right when your kid ends a conversation like that with a genuine smile.

She humbly and patiently accepted her consequences. She was on restriction for 3 days- no TV, no video games or computer, no afternoon with friends. One of those afternoons was spent with my mother and father, so she had to tell them what she had done and what her restrictions were. I must say she handled it with real grace and dignity. No tears or back talk, just a calm acceptance. She managed to read 4 chapter books in 3 days.

Her brother and sister had lessons too. Their challenge was with gossip. I challenged them to not talk about Yang when she wasn't there especially with their friends. It was Yang's story to tell not theirs. They didn't need to explain why Yang was on restriction, and to the best of my knowledge they succeeded.

For my husband and I it was a lesson in not letting our pride get the better of us. First, in allowing the possibility that she could have committed the offense. Recognizing that our child are very well behaved but not perfect. Secondly, was not over reacting out of wounded pride. We had to find a middle road between giving her consequences that would make an impression that this was a sin and unacceptable behavior, and condemning/punishing her till she felt with one mistake she was beyond redemption. I think we accomplished this.