Does the punishment fit the "crime"?

[tonilea]

or was I too harsh?


While we were getting some lunch meat at the Deli (in WalMart), DS climbed up on a display and dumped several bags of Hawaiian bread into the floor. I have no idea what possessed him to do it.... He said he wanted to watch them slice the meat. He is normally very well behaved. Anyway, I made him pay for the four bags of bread that hit the floor. It was almost $10. (He only gets $5 a week.)

Anyway, poll to follow.

 

[Neelloc]

Did the bread get crushed? The the bread touch the floor, or just the plastic bags? How was it wrapped?

This info will help me vote....

 

[tonilea]

He stomped on one bag of bread. The remainder simply hit the floor. The store employee said they would have to throw them away when I asked.

ETA: I can also use the bread to make some really yummy bread pudding.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I would only have purchased the bag that he ruined. Buying the rest was your decision.

As for the punishment - you know him better than we do.

 

[tonilea]

I would only have purchased the bag that he ruined. Buying the rest was your decision.

As for the punishment - you know him better than we do.

Basically they were all ruined, even though they weren't all damaged, since the store had to throw them away.

I guess I am just having second thoughts... oh, well.... no one said parenting was easy, right?

 

[luvmy3]

I think it fits, my kids know the deal when we go to the store, if they don't have money to pay for something they better not lay a hand on it.

 

[dislaney]

I voted for a little harsh but I don't think the punishment is anything that is going to kill him. Parenting isn't easy - that is for sure!

 

[SandrA9810]

It'll remind him to keep his hands to himself. And two weeks allowance isn't all that much.

 

[sunnyday123]

I'm confused as to why they had to throw the bread away. Was it in a bag? I voted "too harsh" but after reading that he stomped on the bread, I think it was fair.

 

[libraryfreak]

Sounds like he was curious and used poor judgement, not that he was acting up.

Don't worry that you punished him unnecessarily- all parents do it at one time or another. I don't think you were too harsh. If you think you want to retract your punishment (if thats what you want to do, I'm not saying to do it), then you can tell him you were wrong. By doing so I think it teaches kids that adults aren't always perfect.

 

[jaminmd]

or was I too harsh?


While we were getting some lunch meat at the Deli (in WalMart), DS climbed up on a display and dumped several bags of Hawaiian bread into the floor. I have no idea what possessed him to do it.... He said he wanted to watch them slice the meat. He is normally very well behaved. Anyway, I made him pay for the four bags of bread that hit the floor. It was almost $10. (He only gets $5 a week.)

Anyway, poll to follow.

Good for you! He won't be scarred for life & you taught him a lesson. I wish more parents would do what you did instead of making excuses for their snowflake.

 

[mjkacmom]

I think it was a little harsh, but not too over-the-top. I've found that 6 year old boys tend to do before they think. Now, if he toppled the display for fun, then my punishment would be harsher.

 

[Kphoto]

I think it's fair. I think it's better to set consequences for their actions and have it be over and done with rather than yelling at them or worse...ignoring them.

Karen

 

[momof1princess]

I think it's fair. I think it's better to set consequences for their actions and have it be over and done with rather than yelling at them or worse...ignoring them.

Karen

MTE

 

[smb6]

I think your punishment is fine....

Follow thru is important- so I would not retract the punishment at this point....

 

[Wishing on a star]

What is his age again???

While I am not saying you were too harsh...
Especially if this kind of thing happens with him often.

It does sound like he just had a kids bad judgment moment, curiosity, etc... not really acting up...

Depending on his age, I might possibly have given some lenience.

You sound like a good parent who is trying to do the right thing!!!
It ain't always easy!

 

[tonilea]

What is his age again???

While I am not saying you were too harsh...
Especially if this kind of thing happens with him often.

It does sound like he just had a kids bad judgment moment, curiosity, etc... not really acting up...

Depending on his age, I might possibly have given some lenience.

You sound like a good parent who is trying to do the right thing!!!
It ain't always easy!

He is six, but very bright and intuitive. Plus, he is an only child.... so he talks "big" for his age... I think sometimes, I might expect more of him than I would another child.

ETA: He is normally very well behaved. I asked him if he would have rather I gave him a different punishment like losing tv time. In a very miserable little voice he said, "No, I just wish I hadn't done it at all!"

 

[Hannathy]

I'm still trying to figure out why it had to be thrown away? I understand the one that got stomped on but wasn't the rest wrapped in plastic and closed with a clip? I buy those rolls and it comes closed in a bag with one of those plastic clips keeping it shut so it shouldn't have fallen out just falling off the shelf. they fall off all the time.
It seems to me if it is out in the open like that it should be closed a bit better. Is it baked in the store? cause that is the only thing I have ever seen out on a shelf in an open bag is Italian bread in paper bags. Hawaiian rolls are shipped in from a manufacturer and are closed.

I'm voting a bit harsh, because I can't see how they were all ruined.

 

[AKL_Megs]

A little OT, but...

If I am picturing it correctly, I am visualizing a metal rack with King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls (in plastic bags and/or plastic packaging) on it. Am I correct?

If not, and it's some other kind of sweet roll that is SO FRAGILE and in such compromising packaging that, if it touches the floor, it needs to be immediately thrown away, I highly doubt that it should be in an area that is so easily accessible. Perhaps it should be sold behind the counter.

As someone who worked in food safety for YEARS, my question is, what if a cart touches the rack/breads, or a person brushes against the rack/breads with their coat or pants, or someone PICKS UP the bread and decides against the purchase and puts it back... Is it tainted any less from touching THOSE objects as it is from touching the floor? I doubt it. Dirt is dirt is dirt. Some hands may be dirtier than the floor...

Anyways... back to your question.

If bread is that special, it shouldn't be out in the open where people (of any age) might accidentally drop it. You shouldn't be responsible for the bread that fell on the floor and WASN'T crushed. The loaf/package that WAS damaged, I would make my child pay for. He damaged it.

It was your choice to pay for the rest.

I would have instead, made my child pay for the one loaf/package that was damaged, and punished him in another way for climbing on the rack. His "crime" was climbing on the rack in the first place.

 

[Keli]

I think you did exactly the right thing and taught him a valuable lesson. He destroyed 4 loaves (technically 1 but since the store will have to throw away the others it was 4 loaves from their perspective) so he paid for 4 loaves. You taught him that when we destroy others property, even accidentally, you make it right. The most important lessons are always the hardestto follow through on.
Keep on at this rate and you will raise a responsible young man. Something becoming rare in our society.