The Bus Fight

Jacob and Grace came off the bus on Monday, each telling a different version of a story that took place on the bus. Three other children came right to me to tell me their versions of what transpired on the bus that afternoon. After we got home, I separated Jacob and Grace and asked them individually what happened. Grace told me that Jacob was picking on her, so she hit him..."well, sort of hit him...I mean not like this..but maybe like this...but not really a hit", and then Jacob bit her. When went and talked to Jacob he told me that "Grace punched me in the face, so I bit her". Oh my goodness!!!! As I was trying to figure out what to do as far as punishment, the phone rang. Can you guess who it was? If you said the bus driver, then you were right! He informed me of his version....which was only Jacob biting Grace and Grace crying, then told me he was going to have Jacob sit in an assigned seat for the rest of the week. Some would think that this would be appropriate enough punishment...not exactly. I called Greg and told him I couldn't think of a punishment (they are too big to spank and to young to be involved enough in anything to make it matter if that is taken away) and he had to do it. The end result was that Jacob (who had already had TV of any sort taken away) had to go to bed 30 minutes before the girls for the rest of the week. And Grace was not able to play with her friend Evelyn for 3 days. Well....Jacob went to bed early the first night and I read to the girls - Jacob HATED that. So it appears to have worked. But every night since, once Jacob goes to bed, the girls just put themselves to bed. An extra 1/2 hour of quiet.....how did I get so lucky? Oh yeah - because my kids fought in PUBLIC!!!