<p>OK, I had one of those horrible parenting moments.....</p>
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<p>Yesterday, after homework, the kids went out to play. DD met a little girl and they started playing. Well, the sun was going down and dh and the boys were getting ready to take a load of stuff over to my mother, so we called the kids in. I made it clear that this was it, no more outside for the day. Right as dh was getting ready to leave, the handyman showed up to install the blinds. My youngest was playing with handyman's child and dd had gone into her room. Handyman needed me to show him where the blinds that needed to be replaced were and I was trying to finish up laundry. About an hour and a half later, handyman and his son left. I went to get dd and ds so we could set the table because dh was bringing dinner home. Well, I go into dd's room and she is NOT THERE!! So I look outside and her bike is gone. Now it is dark outside, so I take ds and we go walking down the street looking for dd's bike. Well, she was at her new friend's house, she had told her friend's mom that she had permission to be over there. Thank goodness she was OK, but here is what I did....</p>
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<p>I told her that she shouldn't have left without permission. The friend's mom told her that she liked having dd over to play, but that she MUST have permission. It told dd that she could try again next week after a few days at home. We start heading home and I tell dd that she needs to walk with her bike because it's dark outside and cars can't see her. She gets on her bike and starts riding down the road. I tell her again that she needs to walk her bike. She refused to get off her bike, finally I get her off the bike and tell her that she is losing her tire. She cried and asked why. I explained that she just showed she didn't understand simple bike safety and she refused to listen to me when I explained it to her so she will get her tire back after I am sure that she understands when it is safe to ride and when it is too dangerous. </p>
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<p>Do you think I did the right thing? I don't know, it just feels like it's not enough to really make her understand that leaving without permission and staying out after dark are completely unacceptable.</p>
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<p>Yesterday, after homework, the kids went out to play. DD met a little girl and they started playing. Well, the sun was going down and dh and the boys were getting ready to take a load of stuff over to my mother, so we called the kids in. I made it clear that this was it, no more outside for the day. Right as dh was getting ready to leave, the handyman showed up to install the blinds. My youngest was playing with handyman's child and dd had gone into her room. Handyman needed me to show him where the blinds that needed to be replaced were and I was trying to finish up laundry. About an hour and a half later, handyman and his son left. I went to get dd and ds so we could set the table because dh was bringing dinner home. Well, I go into dd's room and she is NOT THERE!! So I look outside and her bike is gone. Now it is dark outside, so I take ds and we go walking down the street looking for dd's bike. Well, she was at her new friend's house, she had told her friend's mom that she had permission to be over there. Thank goodness she was OK, but here is what I did....</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I told her that she shouldn't have left without permission. The friend's mom told her that she liked having dd over to play, but that she MUST have permission. It told dd that she could try again next week after a few days at home. We start heading home and I tell dd that she needs to walk with her bike because it's dark outside and cars can't see her. She gets on her bike and starts riding down the road. I tell her again that she needs to walk her bike. She refused to get off her bike, finally I get her off the bike and tell her that she is losing her tire. She cried and asked why. I explained that she just showed she didn't understand simple bike safety and she refused to listen to me when I explained it to her so she will get her tire back after I am sure that she understands when it is safe to ride and when it is too dangerous. </p>
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<p>Do you think I did the right thing? I don't know, it just feels like it's not enough to really make her understand that leaving without permission and staying out after dark are completely unacceptable.</p>