Oh Dallyn?!

Dallyn told me "go ahead blog about it", he's calling my bluff or he wants it recorded in the books of family history to teach his future children, either way I'm counting this permission to share....


I've been parenting for exactly  8,502 days according to google and here's the thing, I still have no idea what I am doing. No seriously, no idea....

Every time I think I've got this gig in the bag, one of them throws me a curve ball and y'all know I'm not super sports-y.

Dallyn got suspended last week. Yes you read that right, suspended.

"Skipping Law Class whilst [breaking a law]"  No, no the irony is not lost on us either.

Grant and I had 20 mins before our brilliant scholar walked in the front door to decide how to handle this.

After 10 minutes of awkward silence.....

"You better not YELL, Robin." Grant said.

"You better not yell, GRRRRANT" I snapped.

Yup we totally have this parenting gig in the bag.

We watched Dallyn take the slow walk of shame from the car to our front door...head hung low.

Sit. Explain.

There were tears and excuses and anger and talk of unfairness and harshness. But by all estimations,except maybe Dallyn's. He deserved the consequences.

We both explained that this was a great lesson that when we choose a behavior we do not get to choose the consequence and then talked of his consequences at home....

"Can't you phone the school Mom, someone else's mom did ?!?!"

"And tell them what??? How dare you hold my kid accountable???"

Yeah that's a solid NO.

Seventeen is hard. Parenting is hard. But no one yelled.

That evening after hours of yard work I asked Dallyn what he wanted for dinner....

"Do PRISONERS get to pick their food????" {not quite the humility I was hoping for, but an A for comedic timing}

Time served. Consequences in progress. Oh Dallyn, I love you.




If you ever need tips on what one wears to meet with the principal, bright and early on a Monday morning , I'm your girl.