Taking it back

I am usually a mom-of-her-word. Once the discipline or answer has been declared...it is pretty much set in stone. You know, the old, stick to your guns.

Well....

On Friday Emma kept me waiting outside of her choir class for 20 minutes. She was talking to her friends. I explained to her that it is rude to make me wait. She understood and apologized.

So...

Last night, right during the dinner hour, I set off to pick Emma up from a Soccer game.
I thought she said 'pick me up at 5:15'...but I think she mumbled something about the cell phone. Matthew says at 5:00, "Mom, aren't you going to get Emma, she said 5:15."

O.k. then....

So I get to the park and I wait and I wait and I wait...and I get angrier and angrier and angrier.

She comes running down the hill after I have waited 1/2 an hour. (I sent a friend up the hill to look for her)

I proclaim that she is grounded from going anywhere for a week. If she wants to get to soccer practice and choir and church and anything else...she is going to have to arrange other transportation. (You see I had a whole 1/2 hour to stew and plot and scheme.)

She explains that she said she would call me to tell me when to pick her up.

I did not hear this clearly and Matthew confirmed the time I thought I heard.

She is very remorseful, cries, and she asks for forgiveness. She said she did not know I was waiting for her and she would not have let me wait like that.

So it looks like I am going to have to take it back, doesn't it?

The problem seems to be one of misunderstanding and poor communication rather than lack of courtesy.

I guess we need to discuss the importance of clear speaking and communication.

I guess I should have listened to her side of the story before declaring the sentence.

Commuted Sentence.

Still learning,
Donna