It was several weeks ago, we were at Steve & Joy's house, visiting with my folks who were down from VA. Kate was admiring some framed photos on the table in the hallway. She'd picked one up that contained some black & whites of some of us at Steve & Joy's wedding rehearsal dinner. Just as she went to set it back down, she dropped it. It fell to the floor and the glass shattered. She was a bit stunned and just stood stalk still.
After the ensuing clean-up, I explained to Kate that we all knew it had been an accident, but that she should tell Steve & Joy she was sorry and then we should replace the frame. She nodded at this information somberly. Then, chin up, she marched over to her aunt and uncle and told them she was sorry she broke their frame. "We know it was an accident, Kate, but thank-you for apologizing" Steve said, as I'd expected. Joy said "It's alright. How about we go to Target together on Friday and replace it?"
When Friday arrived, along with her snack, I put $20 in Kate's lunch box and explained approximately 50 times that the money was for the new frame and that no matter what else they bought at Target, Kate must use it to buy the frame. Then I told her teacher at daycare it was in there and why. Then I told Joy, who planned to pick the girls up that afternoon to go to Target.
When the children returned home, there was a giant bag of goodies along with the kids. New shoes for Sarah. A new outfit for Sarah, too. And a new dress for Kate to wear to daycare, along with a new princess dress. I stopped by their house to pick up the car seats and Joy handed me my $20. "We completely forgot to buy a frame!" (She did point out, that their new items had been on extraordinary sale. The new dress for daycare, for example, was $6 at Burlington Coat Factory. How do you not buy that? That's right. They went to two stores.)
Yes, I think Kate learned a valuable lesson that day. To my chagrin, we still haven't replaced that frame.
Here are the girls sporting some of their new duds.
Oh yeah, they also both got new dolls. Here's one of Kate sleeping with hers in a boot.
And here's one of Sarah I just think is cute.
6 comments:
Those girls are so cute, they don't need to learn good manners. Or how to read.
That story makes me want to break other people's things.
oh my gosh...they just keep getting cuter and cuter....i want sunglasses like that and a princess dress :)
Right, always offer to pay and then you won't have to. A valuable lesson.
Next you'll have to take her to a restaurant and teach her to reach for the check veeerrrrry slooooooowly.
Is there a blog for the worse aunt ever??
One day Sarah will read this and wonder "why did aunt jo-jo only buy hippy short sets and athletic wear for me and princess dresses for Kate?" Well, Sarah, I did buy you a princess dress and you completely rejected it. So, there. I did not bother to teach you any manner either.
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