Taking Responsibility

This whole motherhood thing has its moments of unfairness. Maybe unfairness isn’t quite right but let me explain. I have a nice couch that despite my best efforts to keep it clean and keep it from being used as a trampoline and launch pad has become dirty and threadbare in places. I’m saving pennies and little extras for its replacement. Things are tight right now financially and with the impending move to Montana, we are a little short on cash. Enough said.
Two days ago James decided to throw a rock at the landlord’s window. I’m pretty sure it’s the largest, tempered glass window of the house. My immediate reaction was to tell James we were going to sell all of his toys including the new rescue helicopter he received for his birthday to “help” offset the cost of the window replacement. He’d have to work off the nearly $450 window with extra chores around the house.
Perhaps I gave the five-year-old mind too much credit for the ability to use good judgment. As I ranted over the phone to Doug about the gross irresponsibility of our son, Doug commiserated with James and recalled when he was a few years older than James, he attempted to throw a baseball over the roof but ended up throwing it through a window….His parents paid for it and never said a word about it. Doug possesses a necessary gift of being able to tell me to lower my expectations without telling me to lower my expectations.
So, that’s where the couch money is going. I suppose if I bring a little boy into the world, I’m obligated to sacrifice more than my body, my time, and my sanity but my couch too.
Point of impact.
The beauty of tempered glass. The picture doesn't do it justice.