Picture taken January 2011
"Do you think they will be mad?" Kimball asked in a tiny voice. We were returning to the party supply store, where we had been shopping the day before for goody bag favors for Kimball's 4th birthday party. When we got home after that first trip, he had asked, "Can I blow my bubbles now?"
"What bubbles?" I asked.
"These bubbles," he said, pulling a tiny, plastic jar of bubbles from his jeans pocket.
That wasn't the first time he'd stolen. A few weeks ago, he'd come home with some play money and a play doctor's shot from his preschool. We gave those back and he apologized to his teacher, Ms. Nina. Now I had to explain to him again why stealing was wrong, that those bubbles belong to the store until somebody buys them. I put them on a bookshelf and told Kimball we would be going back to the store to say sorry, and to either buy the bubbles or give them back. He wanted to buy them.
The next day, we got some change out of his little blue piggy bank and went back to Party City. Our cashier was a large, edgy-looking young man, but when I explained why we were there, he softened and listened to Kimball's little whispered, "I'm sorry." Smiling, he took 35 cents from Kimball, gave him his change and receipt, and wished us a good day.
As he walked through the sliding doors with his honest bubbles, Kimball told me, "I almost cried a little, but then I didn't." He got a big hug.
Today, after preschool, he told me about his day. And then added, "And I didn't even steal anything!"
Baby steps. Sweet, little baby steps.
3 comments:
I can vouch for Ashley's account of Kimball's latest ethical experiments. It's been really sweet. He still can't hide things from us and he will cry when he knows he's done something wrong. It's really sad because you can tell his heart is breaking. Today he spilt about a gallon of water all over a bunch of my books. Ashley and I kind of freaked out. Kimball went into his room, cried, and then when I came to hug him and let him know everything was alright he hugged me back and said-"that feels better." So so sweet.
Awww. We all have to learn that lesson some time. So sweet.
Well now. I may have teared up just a little bit here. I would say this lesson is much more than a little baby step, I'd say it is a giant leap. There are some adults who still haven't learned the lesson of integrity.
Please give Kimball a great big hug from Deedee and tell him that I am so proud of him! And, please give yourself a big hug for gently leading him and teaching him with patience and love.
Love to you all :D
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