It's Not My Fault And I Won't Pay. No Problem Then, Just Go Away

Greetings all! It has been a very busy month so far, but wonderful events...graduations, anniversary parties, etc.


I am sorry the picture above is blurry but trying to get an 10 & 12 year old to look pleasant for the camera is as difficult as getting tiny children to pose. Someone needs to wash their hair/put on makeup/just doesn't FEEL like it/is generally ornery.


Well, my girls finished 4th and 7th grade. Madeleine finished 7th grade by being one of 4 kids to score a perfect 100 on the Algebra I final. The top class, in a top school, and she's one of the top 4 kids. Meredith brought home an Exemplary in the Math No Child Left Untortured tests and is proudly wearing a necklace! One B for Meredith, the rest straight As.


One more year of school and then big changes. Meredith will graduate from elementary school next year and Madeleine will graduate from middle school. Then-Mere will go to the school for 6th graders only and Madeleine will be off to high school. She will be taking English I and Geometry for high school credit next year.


Yeah, so what was it about internationally adopted kids predestined for academic failure? There are some frustrated parents out there. We are lucky. And Meredith needs reading help. I just can't make myself sign up for anything right now. A day without driving a kid somewhere to take a test or go to the doctor or have a lesson......is a good day.


And the whole mad whirl will begin again in 8 weeks.


Last week we had a (cough) INCIDENT that I want to tell you about.


PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.


INSERT OBLIGATORY RANT: Don't you think kids need to be taught to take responsibility for their mistakes?


I remember a boyfriend I had in college. He was a wonderful guy and we dated for several years. I still think very fondly of him and it wasn't his fault that his parents had spoiled him.


It wasn't his fault.


Hmmmmm....


My parents had us working at 11 to earn frivolous stuff we wanted, like stereos, contacts, a flute, etc. (My first three things I bought with money I had earned. What a thrill!)


When I was 19, I paid my Dad $60.00 to fix a car. And the wreck wasn't even my fault! (mostly?) There was a very wide lane, but it was technically one lane. A car was over at the far left side of the lane with a turn signal blinking "left" and then, all of a sudden, he turned into my car as I sped up to pass him. My parents were called-it was only 3 blocks from home--and I got a ticket for passing unlawfully.


"You know," Dad mused back at the house, "I think that driver was drinking. I smelled alcohol on his breath."


"ARE YOU KIDDING?" I screamed. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL THE COP?"


He shrugged.


Anybody want to know why my sister and I raced through law school?


I truly loved Brent, but when he mentioned that he had caused a minor accident during his junior year but wasn't required to pay for it, I saw red.


"Don't you think you should take responsibility for this?" I tactfully inquired, between bouts of making out.


"I....I....never thought about it," he answered. "Maybe I should HAVE DAD TAKE IT OUT OF MY ALLOWANCE."


I broke up with him.


And he turned out to be a perfectly responsible and wonderful adult, who has a great job and pays his bills, and maybe I might go back in time and tell my 19 year old self to be a little less judgmental.


But I am. I think you should take responsibility, age appropriate of course, for your mistakes.


Tell me what you think about this.


Okay, I just got a FREE IPAD. Okay spambots, do your thing. But here's how I got it.


First of all, I applied for a Chase Freedom credit card. Then I enrolled in the Way To Save program offered by Wells Fargo. I have $550.00 in my Way To Save account and Chase is sending me a check for $200 for buying the ipad with their card.


Yep! (Neither Chase nor Wells Fargo is paying me a dime to advertise this).


I let the kids use it, after instructing them to handle it with more care than they would a premature newborn. idk. Maybe I should have explained a little more carefully how to handle a premature newborn.


Last Friday, Meredith, Madeleine and a friend I'll call Mischief went to the chiropractor's office. Mischief was at our house, and was just along for company.


While Madeleine was getting her spine adjusted (she scored 8 on a school screening for scoliocis. Is that bad?).....


Meredith and Mischief were sitting in the waiting room. Meredith was playing with the Ipad, holding it about 2 feet over the wooden floor. Mischief wanted the Ipad and started tickling Meredith. Meredith, startled, dropped the Ipad.


Here's where things start going haywire.


Nobody told me about it. I didn't get a chance to use the Ipad until Sunday evening. All of a sudden, while caressing it lovingly (as I would a newborn), I noticed a small crack on the side. I didn't overreact. I didn't run screaming through the house, shaking the kids awake and demanding an explanation. I didn't do it, but I didn't say I didn't WANT TO DO IT.


I calmly picked up the phone and made an appointment with the Apple store in Charleston. Two days later, I handed Apple $369.00 for a replacement Ipad.



I texted Mischief's mother, explaining the circumstances, and asking that they reimburse me 1/2 of the repair costs. If it had been an accident.....I think I would have felt the same way. But it wasn't an accident. It was caused by a THIRTEEN YEAR OLD tickling a ten year old in order to get her to give up the Ipad. I will assume 1/2 of the responsibility for being careless enough to give the ipad to kids in the first place.


Mischief's mother immediately responded, accepting responsibility, and offering to pay me back for the repairs.


WAY? NO WAY.


SILENCE. Deafening, screaming, total silence.


The girls have been told that Mischief is banned-permanently-from our house. Until the Ipad repairs have been repaid. They are okay with this. They have a huge saltwater pool. They are not lacking for friends!!!


Honestly? Mischief scares me. She is a girl who seems to attract trouble. You had one when you were a kid. I had one, too. The one who always seemed to be getting in trouble and dragging you along beside them?


There have been other incidents.


I don't like Mischief and I don't want her hanging around the kids any more.


If I never hear from her again, it will be a small price to pay. Hope you are having a good summer. Sign me, DISGUSTED IN CAROLINA.