SNEAKY... SNEAKY

My kids got a lot of candy from trick or treating. It was annoying how constantly they would ask for candy. I'd say every time that they could only have 1 candy a day and they were to have absolutely no sticky candy. So a couple days went by and I noticed that in our powder room in the corner behind the sink were all these candy wrappers. I assumed that it was Hub's nieces that came to spend the day with us. They brought bookbag filled with candy. We'd catch them in the corner sucking on lollipops. We confiscated the bag. I asked Bunny and Lamb if they were sneaking candy. "no, mommy!" they'd answer. I didn't even think that they'd lie to me. Then the next night I noticed two reese's peanutbutter cup wrappers in my sink. hmmmmmmmmmmm! I called both Bunny and Lamb to come to me. They both run in and I asked, "who ate candy." They both said they didn't do it. Then the interrogation began. I really thought that Lamb did it but Bunny wouldn't make eye contact and then I pressed her harder. After 10 minutes, she broke down and admitted it. Then she blamed Lamb for making her eat it. I asked about the candy in the bathroom and it was both Lamb and Bunny. I couldn't believe that my Bunny did it. She is my good one. I then tell her how she broke my heart because she lied to me and that she can't disobey me like that. yada yada. I had a hard time with it all. I don't know why I took all the deception so personally. It really hurt.

Then the next day, Bunny comes home from school. She came to me and was sitting on my lap. I'd ask her how her day was. Then when Lamb came in, she abruptly got up and left. As I was chatting with Lamb, I notice Bunny emerging from her room. That was funny... she usually goes straight to the kitchen for an after school snack. I go, "Bunny, what were you doing?" she quickly answered, "nothing." "WERE YOU SNEAKING CANDY, AGAIN!!!" "no, mommy, no." then Hubs comes in and says, "let me smell your mouth." Bunny screams, "no!" and then tried to run away. But Hubs grabbed her and he was trying to smell her mouth. She was turning her head side to side so that hubs couldn't get a whiff of her mouth and she's shouting,"I want to brush my teeth, I want to brush my teeth." Then I yelled, " you at candy, didn't you!" She broked down crying, "yes, mommy, I'm sorry mommy." I told her to take me to the stash of candy. She went in to her room and deep in the closet in the corner was all this candy and so many wrappers. I was so angry. I disciplined both Bunny and Lamb. I know that Lamb was the first one and Bunny followed her.

I was really sad for the following few days. I have to be on my guard. I didn't think I had to hide their candy. i thought that even if the bag of candy was with in their reach, I thought they could resist temptation. What was I thinking? I can't even resist it.

I pray that I was wise about the way I disciplined them. I don't want to be too harsh but I don't want to be too lax. I realize that I need to pray more. Pray more for my kids and especially for wisdom. It's scary that I'm raising 4 children.