Four (or more) witnesses, all aged 13 or under, from three (or more) families were enjoying their free-range privileges far from parental eyes when things got out of hand.
My elder son and his rowdy buddy found a frog. It was alive and then it was dead. That’s where agreement seemed to end as I texted with the other parents hours later.
My patience is most pressed when I am lied to. My son was not forthcoming with the truth and I could only walk away from him to check back with the other parents for more pieces of the story.
A short lecture on respecting all life and the danger and hurtfulness of deceit was the consequence.
I can’t know what happened in the woods. Those who made bad decisions will be judged by their peers and God, I don’t see much of a role for myself. It’s the kind of uncomfortable relinquishing of control that defines free range parenting. As Bridget Phetasy says in her interview with Lenore Skenazy, “That’s kid stuff, don’t bother the adults with it.”
Yep, we all make mistakes but lie about it. It truly only makes things worse. Good on you for walking away and setting the example of not acting in anger. Giving up the “control” we are “supposed” to have over our kids, for me anyway, is the hardest thing to get people to understand about the trust I give my kids. I know way more about some things than I should and I know for sure that I don’t know more than a little bit.