Thursday Thirteen - Dad, I’m Not Lying.
Last weekend my 8 year old son and I had a male bonding moment, we picked out and bought watches together at KMART. His was a fancy electronic one, mine was my usual traditional timex with “Georgia” font numbers. When we got home I really enjoyed going through the manual with him, showing him how to set the time and date, and even the alarm. I thought it was so cool that my son had his first real watch. I’ll never forget when I got mine. It was also electronic, and it had a stopwatch and I thought that was incredible. Well, as they say, every rose has its thorn. When I came home from work a couple days ago, my son was up in his room and my wife explained to me he was grounded, waiting for me to get home because he lost his watch.
What follows is his excuse:
“Dad, it fell out of my desk at school onto the floor and my friend picked it up for me and he says he has it and he is going to bring it tomorrow.”
My response was. “Watches are material things, they are not important in the big picture . . . we can get another one for you. What I am concerned about is whether or not you are lying to us.”
“Dad, I’m not lying.” was his reply.
Today he is supposed to bring the watch home. What do you think is going to happen? I will follow up on this real-time event in the comments of this post. Are you on the edge of your seat? I know I am! Here’s thirteen possibilities (some silly, cuz 13 is a lot!) of what I imagine the truth could be in honor of it being “Thirsday Thirteen:”
- It’s the truth
- It’s a form of the truth
- He knows where the watch is but made up a whopper (would explain the surety)
- He loaned it to his friend and is afraid to admit that (he does that a lot with his things and they never come back)
- The teacher took it away for a day when he was playing with it.
- He doesn’t know where it is but is going to look for it and his story bought him time.
- He left it somewhere on campus and is going to check the lost and found.
- He never brought it to school, but loaned it to someone he walks home with and will ask for it back today
- He broke the face glass on it and is afraid to tell us.
- He gave it to a girl he likes?
- He didn’t fasten it on his wrist correctly and it fell off.
- He sold it.
- He donated it to charity
It’s gotta be one of these . . . ah the joys and excitement of fatherhood. This afternoon will be interesting.
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He’s eight…it’s sprobably not a girl…
I want to think he donated it to charity! IF it’s not the truth…but I ‘d rather think it’s the truth.
Somehow, I think that perhaps YOU know a little too much about what other possibilities there are. So, fess up. Did something like this ever happen to you?
Oh my gosh yes. He is far more honest than his dad was at eight! You are correct in your assumption.
Another reason I have so many suspicions though is because I know my son . . . he’s pretty keen sometimes!
At 8, I’m going to say that he took it off to play with his friends (because watches can be annoying) and he either put it down with the intent of picking it up before he went home from school and it was gone or broken. Of course, the friend who picked it up for him will have accidentally broken or lost the watch before it could be returned…….(that’s my guess!)
-OR-
like my daughters very expensive cell phone I just bought for her birthday..grrrrr….he did leave it behind and someone actually was nice enough to pick it up for him.
- OR -
it was in his pants pocket and it went through the washer and the dryer, in which case, it’s a goner.
I vote one of the above!! Can’t wait to find out. I will check back later!
Jessica The Rock Chick
After a bit of experience in this area, I’ll go with number 11. He didn’t fasten it right and it fell off. I’m glad to hear you have such a charitable child that he shares his belongings…lol!
Shelly from This Eclectic Life posted a link and I’m glad she did, great post.
Jessica you are so good! I can tell not only tat you were 8 once but also that you paid attention when your kid(s)? were as well ;) I will definitely report in about 6pm or so today with the end of the SAGA!!!!
She is the best friend a fellow storyteller could have! (yeah, that’s the ticket!!!) Thanks for your take on it . . . we’ll see soon how it pans out.
Well, I just got off the phone with the wifal unit and learned what I already anticipated . . . his friend forgot to bring the watch back, but he will bring it Friday!
As much as I truly detest going into his class and talking to his teacher before school starts, I now see that I have no choice. If this boy “Ryan” has the watch, or admits he took it . . . we are all good to go. If not, well let’s just say my wife and I are going to have to concoct some real creative punishment. rrrr. I wanted him to bring that watch home. Parenting isn’t for sissies that’s for sure.
Aha! My 1st instinct was semi-correct!!! The friend will have something to do with the disappearance/destruction/loss/theft whatever of the watch! Or at least he’ll take part of the blame :)
Yes, I was 8 once and at one time or another I’ve had four 8 year olds. My kids are now 16, 14, 13 and 11 (almost 12). Parenting three teenaged girls is definitely not for sissies!
Not that you asked, but this was my method of teaching the kids to take better care of their things…I was always willing to buy the first thing, whatever it may be, at what I considered to be the age appropriate time. Video game systems, watches, cell phones, whatever…..If they didn’t take care of it or lost it or broke it, they had to “buy” the replacement. Of course, they didn’t have the money so I made them work for it outside their normal chores. The other chores had a set price (like clean the garage for $10.00) and then it went into an envelope until the money was there to buy a new one. If they didn’t want a new one, oh well, then dad and I are were going out to dinner.
Believe me, we’ve had things stolen here and there, which happens, but my kids have never been careless or mistreated something more than once!!!!
Jessica
Well, I read too late to guess. I only went through two 8 year olds, our son, and then our niece. I would have figured broken or lost.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:24 pm