Proper Punishment?

[PrincessFiona]

Alright...I need instantaneous parening help. Amanda and Alex came home from school about an hour ago...while Aidan was napping. They asked if they could play outside and I told them specifically that they could play in the yard but that under NO circumstances were the to step on the pond. In the last 24 hours it has "frozen over" but it is by no means actually frozen. I repeated myself twice about this. They had been outside for about 10-15 minutes and I peeked out to check on them. They were not standing on the ice, BUT their footprints (there is a thin layer of snow on the ice) were on the ice showing them to have walked out about 5 feet...THAT is far enough for them to have drowned as far as I am concerned. It is FREEZING outside, the water gets deep quite quickly, and if they hadn't drowned they would have either died of hypothermia or something. I can not hear them from inside the house and I would never have made it down in time to rescue them...and even if I had made it down...the ice would not have held by weight to get to them.

I am BESIDE myself...absolutely BESIDE myself.

I'm sure the neighbors think I'm a nut because I went out there and screamed at them until they came in...then I .....yelled at them some more and sent them to their rooms. I told Amanda she would NOT be going to ballet tonight and Alex that he would not be attending his boyscout pack meeting. Alex cried....Amanda just TALKED back and insisted that she would not have drowned. :!

Thomas thinks that my punishment is too extreme. He feels that because Alex is 6 that his judgement is lacking and that he should be allowed to go to his boyscout meeting....and...he feels like since we paid for the ballet Amanda should be able to go...but he is leaving it up to me.

and where is the For Sale sign :titanic:

[Cumberland]

Disobeying that can result in death or serious dismemberment is grounds for an extreme punishment. I absolutely think you did the right thing. I think Amanda might need some other type of reinforcement bc if she was so sure she would not drown then maybe she would try it again. Bottom line, you are a good mom!!!

[DCJenn]

I completely agree with you Kris- Death or dismemberment require extreme levels of "If you EVER do that again"

I say, get big bowl of ice water and have her hold her hand in it until she can't stand it. and then add 30 more seconds. She's probably one of those kids who has to experience it before she'll believe you.

Jenn

[PrincessFiona]

This hurts me as much as it hurts her...or maybe..more. Thursday nights have become our night to get away together and have special girl time. She has dance from 5.30-6.30 and then we go out to dinner. After that, I have dance from 7.30-9.00. It's a late night, but it is just....special to have something to share....

This is actually..hard for me...but not nearly as hard as it would be right now if something awful had happened.

I'm also calling the Fire Dept. tomorrow and I'm going to bring them in for a little "talk" with some firemen.

kris

[mommax3]

Kris,

I think you did absolutely the right thing, and I think Jenn's idea and having a chat with the firemen are good also.

That would be so scary!!!!

Sally

You are right and Thomas is wrong. Plain and simple. It is simply WAY too dangerous. If Thomas thinks that Alex's judgement is lacking, then he simply can't be allowed outside alone -- not given the impression that his offense wasn't as severe as his mom made it out to be. I LOVE Jenn's idea about the ice water. Better yet, fill the sink so she can really submerge her hand and realize how awful it feels.

[PrincessFiona]

You are right and Thomas is wrong.

Well.....of course :>

I'll keep you updated.