Oh, and Epic, I think I didn't respond, but I don't think I know your person! Lots of people knew Rich, so sometimes I do know them and sometimes I don't.

Need help:

Just got a call from the principal at Noah's school. He threw a rock at (or near) another student. The kid caught the rock and threw it over the fence. Then another kid punched the kid who caught the rock (I'm not sure why).

So all of that is bad.

But it took an hour to untangle what happened because Noah did not tell the truth of what happened.

We're supposed to go to Legoland. So I think I have to cancel it right? Even though Grace was excited about going too? And Polgara was coming with us?

I actually know the answer.

Any way that Grace still gets to go but Noah doesn't?

ugh! NOAH!

tell him the cautionary tale of mac and how boys who won't tell the truth get mean mommies and have to live in Texas.

Liese, no. K's dad had open heart surgery last month and she went to Idaho to see him. So no.

He was with the principal crying and he was the first one to start telling the truth, none of which makes me feel better.

And you know what, I'm pretty certain he didn't throw the rock at the kid. He does throw rocks, which he's been talked to about, but I don't have any knowledge of him throwing them at people.

Ugh.

You could go to Legoland and make him sit with you for a certain period of time before playing.

This age is tough -- they're capable of *not* telling the truth in new and sophisticated ways, and they want/need to test that, but obviously they need to be taught that honesty is best.

I think also making clear to him that throwing the rock was the lesser offense is important -- in other words, kids get scared they'll suffer dire consequences for whatever the offense is, without realizing the lying about it just compounds the problem.

Oh, right, I forgot she was gone. Sucks that she's gone while all this is happening, although of course it's good she's getting some time with her dad.

Maybe have a conversation with him about consequences and let the consequence be something other than Legoland, explaining that the reason why is other people.

When I was a kid and I did something wrong, I used to get so upset that I would lie or cry or breakdown, all of which he did today. I hated the idea of disappointing the people that I loved.

What pains me is to consider that he felt that way today. He has a big well of guilt in general. But he also needs a consequence.

Sometimes the consequence really can be feeling all of that, especially if he wasn't throwing the rock at another kid purposely.