two stayed ... not by choice!

That is right, read it again if you have to. Two photos sheets stayed in our house, $24 gone just like that ... no choice! They where all going back, I made up my mind I was saving our money for better things.

As I was tucking away the photos I noticed the girls had 5 sheets each in their envelopes but Camden only had 3. I was a calm mom, didn't have time to worry or jump to conclusions ... (This was so a GOD thing because I normally would totally flip out) ... so when Camden got home I asked him if he knew where the rest of his photos might be, and he claimed he did not know and then moments later he went off up stairs.

As I finished up a few odds and ends in my office he came in to get some tape, and I asked what he might need some tape for. "Nothing important Mom, just something for my room" Okay ... but as his fingers slip when grabbing the second piece of tape, and it is a really big piece of tape I stop and nicely said to him, "Camden bring me the pictures now please."

He had taped a sheet of wallets up with what double sided tape he grabbed before hand, as if I could return them that way! He was so excited to cut them up, I am sure he so badly wanted to share them with his friends, I don't know. I just wish he did a good job of cutting them, I can save them I think but I won't he needs the reminder of what happened. And he had also cut up the 5x7 sheet, so at least Grandparents can have a good giggle every now and then too!

What was I to do ... so many things where wrong, but I was so calm and cool. I just told him that Mom and Dad don't have $24 just lying around to pay for this, they where not ours to keep. He quickly told me that he would pay for them what ever he had in his piggy bank was ours. I said to him, wait until dad and I have a chance to talk this over, I think he should pay for something and we did choose to make him pay half ... I am just upset he choose to be secretive about it. To hide it from me, to not ask if he could do it. I feel like we are going down a wrong path here, and no matter what we seem to be doing it is not working. What are we doing wrong? Are we being to strict with our discipline methods, or not enough? Oh, boy!

I really need a mom's group that deals with the after preschool age! Is this my sign to start something? or get something going/find something?