In the grocery store last week with the youngest member of the Shirts family (almost four years old). Watched a guy standing by the grapes in the produce section, apparently trying to decide which bag to put in his cart.
Nope. He's picking grapes. When he had a handful, he walked off with them. I scowled, but he was too far away for me to do or say anything about it.
Then Fate seemed to intervene. Little Miss Shirts asked for bananas. I selected some and put them in the cart. She asked if she could have a banana right now. Grape Thief rounds the corner and is now across the aisle from me. So I loudly had the following conversation with my daughter.
Me: You want a banana to eat right now?
Her: Yeah!
Me: Sorry, you'll have to wait.
Her: Why?
Me: Because we haven't paid for it yet.
Her: Oh.
Me: And eating something without paying for it is stealing. I don't think it's good to steal from the store.
Her: No.
I glared at the grape thief. He had the nerve to glare back. I gave him the kind of look my dad used to give me before asking me if I was really sure I wanted to disobey him. Grape Thief looked at the floor and hurried away.
Score one for me!
Nope. He's picking grapes. When he had a handful, he walked off with them. I scowled, but he was too far away for me to do or say anything about it.
Then Fate seemed to intervene. Little Miss Shirts asked for bananas. I selected some and put them in the cart. She asked if she could have a banana right now. Grape Thief rounds the corner and is now across the aisle from me. So I loudly had the following conversation with my daughter.
Me: You want a banana to eat right now?
Her: Yeah!
Me: Sorry, you'll have to wait.
Her: Why?
Me: Because we haven't paid for it yet.
Her: Oh.
Me: And eating something without paying for it is stealing. I don't think it's good to steal from the store.
Her: No.
I glared at the grape thief. He had the nerve to glare back. I gave him the kind of look my dad used to give me before asking me if I was really sure I wanted to disobey him. Grape Thief looked at the floor and hurried away.
Score one for me!
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