Bad Boys, Bad Boys...Whatcha Gonna Do???

Just the other day, I had an email conversation with one of my gal pals talking about kids and their behavior (specifically at school). Kate gives us little to no grief and we know that she is respectful and courteous when she is away from us. Jackson on the other hand makes us a little uneasy. He is a really good boy and he means well, but he confuses the fact that just because he's having fun doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do. We have been waiting for the day that he messed up at school, and that day finally came.

He came down the stairs to the office calling for me and started saying "Mom...something bad happened (and here his voice went several octaves higher than normal and tears started flowing) at school today." At first I thought maybe he'd wet his pants. He has never done it before, but I figured there was a first for everything. Then he told me that he has to sit in seat one for a WHOLE WEEK! Gasp!!! The poor thing was just beside himself. He proceeded to tell me that his friend Nathan had a bag of pretzels on the bus and they accidently fell onto the floor. As Nathan bent down to start picking them up, Jack (and possibly the other Jack in the neighborhood...uh oh, perhaps it is inherent in the name???), started stomping and crushing the pretzels. I told Jack that I was really happy that he came and told me the truth and that we all mess up sometimes and went on to ask him why he did what he did (of course he responded with the inevitable: I dunno), and I asked if he thought it was really a good idea. I told him by doing what he did, he caused all sorts of work for the bus driver and that wasn't fair to her. He then went on to say how Kate made him feel "so bad" because when he looked at her she was giving him a bad look... I can just see her sitting there with arms folded and casting a disapproving look in his direction... she is such a little mother/do-gooder. I then told Jack that this really isn't about Kate, it is about him and his poor choices. His frustration with her is more likely frustration with the poor choice he made. I had to call Josh because the whole thing was cute, sad, disappointing and a little funny all at the same time. While he was talking with Daddy, I couldn't resist capturing it all on film. Lord knows there will probably come a day when he no longer cares what Mom and Dad think, so I guess I need to cherish these moments when they come.

Poor Jack must have cried for about 10 minutes straight! My sleeve was all covered in tears and perhaps boogers...I didn't want to investigate that too closely...

I instructed Jack to write a letter of apology for his bad behavior.

Here is the finished card.

The letter reads:

Dear Mrs. Bus driver, I'm very sorry for stomping on the pretzels yesterday and making a big mess for you to clean up. I didn't know that my fun would cause you work. I'm so sorry. Love, Jackson

...and the back.

Here is the video of him explaining to daddy what he had done. It's pretty sad, but whatcha gonna do???.... :-(