Off to a Great Start!

We are off to a great start this morning!

Here's how the punishment rolled out last night...Chris actually walked across the parking lot from the middle school to the  elementary school to have a chat with her during his lunch yesterday.  Then I talked to her when she came home yesterday afternoon.  Here's how it went down...

The other girl took Casey's snack.
Casey told her to give it back.
The other girl ate it and then told Casey that she wasn't brave enough to do anything about it.
So Casey hauled off and punched the girl in the stomach.
The girl told the teacher.
They both had to sit out at recess.

Punishment at home is that she lost DS, TV and computer privileges for the weekend.  I am not even all that upset that she hit the girl (because clearly that girl was mean), but I am upset that she hit the girl because she was taunted and peer pressured into it.  What's going to happen when she is in high school and the girls are drinking (or whatever) in the bathroom and tell Casey that she isn't brave enough to do it with them?  I want her to know that it is braver to be able to walk away.

We also talked about how school is supposed to be a safe place and because Casey hit this girl, she may not feel safe there any more.  We also talked about how the other girl's mother might feel knowing that her child was hit at school and how sad that would make me if the tables were turned.

And, of course, we talked about alternate routes that she could have taken...telling the teacher, ignoring the girl, telling mom and dad when she came home.  And that perhaps she should consider the friends that she is making (she considered this girl a friend).  And, for good measure, we talked about disappointment and unconditional love and forgiveness and making better decisions in the future, learning for your mistakes, and the such.

But TODAY is off to a great start!  I am up and showered, everyone is dressed...Chris is taking the girls to the bank to cash their birthday checks and then I am going grocery shopping, picking up a picnic lunch and then we are heading to our reserved, private run at the dog park for the afternoon.  Woohoo! 

AND, I have a few new things to put in the shop later!  ;)