Busted! (GBE2 #43 Topic: Shenanigans)

With four kids running around this house, I am no stranger to shenanigans.

Sometimes it's cute and amusing....other times it's enough to make me want to bang my head against the wall.

And sometimes....there is utter satisfaction in busting one of my kids.  I can't possibly be the only who feels this way, right?  There are just these moments when I've assembled all of the evidence, prepared my arguments, and my counter-arguments...these moments when I am completely in the zone and I WILL crack whichever kid is suspected of whatever "crime" I'm investigating. 

Eat your heart out Law and Order, you don't having anything on detective Mom.

Last week, I had one of those moments.  My oldest son's English teacher had sent me an email about a missing homework assignment.  A whole paper that had been due last week but hadn't been turned in yet.  This was after the child told us every night that he was finished with his homework.  This was after he had been working so hard (or so we thought...) for weeks trying to work on improving his grades.  Just a few days before, he had brought home a report from another teacher that his science grade had gone up about twenty points. 

He was doing great.  We were so proud.

Except now I was mad that he'd been fibbing about his homework for a week.

And I was ready pounce.

I hadn't busted anybody in a while.  I had visions of Xbox restrictions dancing in my head.

Oh you think you're soooo smart don't ya kid.  You didn't think we'd find out about that English paper.  Well guess what?  No xbox, no computer, no cell phone, no anything until I see a complete paper in my hands that I can read!!!  Bwhahahaha!!! 
I expected excuses...and arguing...lots of arguing..because that's what teenagers do best.  But I was ready for him.  This kid wasn't going to know what hit him!

He strolled in the house at three o'clock and headed straight for the Xbox.  I wouldn't do that if I were you...his father warned...your mom wants to talk to you.

BAM!  I laid it all out for him and I waited for the teenage outburst to ensue.

Instead, he said "OK, Mom.  I'll do it right now." and then he sat down at the computer and typed his paper...even asking my opinion every now and then. 

He did everything he was supposed to do.  Without an argument!  Within the hour, there was a typed paper in my hands for me to read.  It sounded pretty good too!

How dare he do the right thing and take all the joy out of being "the mean mom"!!??

I don't know if I can stand for these shenanigans!  :-)