The Wanderer

I have  a child who likes to wander. I am sure some of you remember when Hazel decided last year that it would be great to take a walk with our dog without letting me know, and scaring the pants off of both me and Shane and the entire neighborhood, and calling the police department. Yeah, fun times.

Well...today she kind of sort of ALMOST did the same thing. Last time we made sure that we implemented new rules. If you come home from one friends house, you must ask for permission to go ANYWHERE else. You may not go to someone else's house before asking mom and dad if you can.

Sometimes...I just wonder.

So, today Hazel was out back playing with a friend. They were jumping on the trampoline. Next thing I know (we're talking not even five minutes had passed because I had just barely looked out the window and there they were jumping, as well as the neighbor girl from down the street...) Anyway, Hazel's friend comes in and tells me that she didn't feel like going with the other girl so she just stayed here.

This took me a minute to figure out because Hazel's friend has a speech impediment and half the time I have to guess at what she is saying and fill in the blanks. When I realized what she had said, I was like, "So Hazel isn't in the back yard? Where is she?"

Then I discovered where Hazel sometimes gets her snarky attitude from because her FRIEND answered me in a snarky tone. Now, if my daughter had done that, I would have told her to repeat it, with respect this time.

Then I was upset because I realized that Hazel had GONE to this neighbor's house, without asking, and while she had a friend at our house! So, I sent Harrison to get her, where I realized that she was riding her bike, with no shoes, and no helmet. Also against the rules. (You probably think I have too many rules, whatever, they're my kids not yours...)

So, Hazel and I had a chat. I still haven't decided what the consequence should be. I guess I'll have to wait so I can talk to Shane about it and decide.