Natural Consequences

My son got in trouble at school the other day. When my kids were little I didn't leave them under the care of others very often. I always figured I was the best person to be raising them up in the way they should go. If they weren't with me, they were with daddy. That's about it. Before my kids were even born, I took a parenting class. The class was called STEP - Systematic Training for Effective Parenting. That's when I was introduced to natural consequences and raising children that are loved, but not conceited. If I told my son to get his coat before a hike and he didn't and it got cold on the hike, he would either be cold or sit in the car and miss the hike - simple natural consequences. My kids were taught to do the right thing because it's right, not because of an ill-suited consequence (a punishment that didn't fit the crime). I had little confidence that my children would be "taught" under the care of others as well as they would be under my care. That is, until I met Mrs. V - the Vice Principal at my son's school. I have total confidence that Mrs. V will be firm and fair, using natural consequences. My son was sent to her office and she gave him an after-school detention. My son didn't want to miss baseball practice and risk not starting at the next game. He said, "Mrs. V, I will come for a week of lunch-time detentions if you let me go to baseball practice today." She calmly and slowly responded, "Do I look like I have 'Let's Make A Deal' written across my forehead? No, I didn't think so.'" Way to go Mrs. V! I couldn't have said it better myself . . .