Well, Austin finally completed his writing assignment from me. Here, reprinted with his permission, is his essay on lying for your reading enjoyment.
Lying is Bad
Lying is just plain stupid. I don’t know why I lie, because I always just end up getting in bigger trouble than if I had told the truth. When you lie a lot, nobody will believe you, but if you tell the truth everyone will believe you. When you lie, your life will turn upside-down. You will always get in trouble and you might not have any friends. Lying is the worst thing you can do to yourself, most of the time. You won’t do well in school if you are holding a lie inside you. It is like the feeling of jealousy; the kind of feeling that is inside you and it hurts whenever you think about it. Can you imagine feeling like that until you told the truth? I cannot live like this anymore. From now on I will tell the truth and only the truth because The Truth Will Set You Free. Then I won’t have anything to worry about.
Lying is Bad
Lying is just plain stupid. I don’t know why I lie, because I always just end up getting in bigger trouble than if I had told the truth. When you lie a lot, nobody will believe you, but if you tell the truth everyone will believe you. When you lie, your life will turn upside-down. You will always get in trouble and you might not have any friends. Lying is the worst thing you can do to yourself, most of the time. You won’t do well in school if you are holding a lie inside you. It is like the feeling of jealousy; the kind of feeling that is inside you and it hurts whenever you think about it. Can you imagine feeling like that until you told the truth? I cannot live like this anymore. From now on I will tell the truth and only the truth because The Truth Will Set You Free. Then I won’t have anything to worry about.
I am always getting in trouble when I lie. That is why I hereby decree that I will now tell the truth. When it comes to lying, no one will believe you because it takes honesty and trust for a friendship to grow. Like a plant needs sun and water to grow and strive. That’s probably why I have no friends. Just kidding with that last one - I have plenty, but more importantly some people don’t have friends because they do lie.
Like why I’m writing this paper, if you lie you are not going to do well in school. When you say you “don’t have homework” when you really do, you are less likely do your homework shown in recent studies by scientists around the globe. But it doesn’t take a genius to find that out. Do your homework, don’t lie. I know what you're thinking, “but there are so many better things to do” or “but it’s too hard” or even “don’t want to”. Who cares, just get it done and you're fine.
I am through with feeling terrible after intentionally lying. It’s one thing if you lie to save someone’s life while being hung over a pit of lava, but come on, who will ever see that coming. If I do ever continue to lie, which I won’t, I might find myself being hung over a pit of lava. Facing the truth is not bad at all, it’s even more forgiving than lying and it builds respect, trust, and your power of the force. You will find yourself feeling a lot better “a good kind of feeling that helps you get stuff done”.
Bottom line, or paragraph, is that lying is bad and the truth is good so, tell the truth and you could be that one person that tells the truth. This paper has been brought to you by the letter T and the number 6.
Yes, he's a goofball, but he did his assignment. Think it'll sink in? I hope so. But I guess I can always "hang him over a pit of lava" if he lies again.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteThat is hilarious. He's got a gift for words though. Reminds me of my little brother at that age, but Austin is better behaved.
*chuckles*
WOW Dawn, that is an awesome essay!!! I was waiting all day to read it :). Please do save this for when he's older and has kids of his own!!!!! Priceless!!
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations to you for the way you handled the situation. I would have never thought of making him write an essay! (and that he would actually do it!! Good for him!)
He's a heckuva kid and apparently takes after you in his writing abilities. Great essay.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great essay! Hopefully he learned his lesson.
ReplyDeleteWhat a GREAT assignment! Yes, I think he will think twice, three times about lying ever again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative lesson!
Well done Mommy!
Love the essay, love the sense of humor too. :) You could always threaten the pit of lava if he lies again too. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's an awesome essay, Dawn! Hopefully he will stick with his promise to only tell the truth. Keep us informed!
ReplyDeleteI used your "essay" punishment on my daughter yesterday. She handed me her two pages this evening. Somehow she managed to work a new reward system into her essay whereby if she does what she's supposed to do for a month she gets taken out for ice cream. I told her I'd have to get back to her on that one. LOL!
I love it. It's gotta be genetics. That's your kid for sure.
ReplyDeleteTalent sure runs in the family! What a great essay and so well written. He had me at the first paragraph! Whoever that reader was that said she thought the punishment was tought has to get a grip! You stick to your guns and know that you're doing a great job! Lying is my absolute worst crime as well.
ReplyDeleteDiane H
Dawn- I leave for Hawaii in 16 days. That gives Austin a little over two weeks to change his ways. There's plenty of lava pits out there in volcanos national park!! (He can hang there with my son!!)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if scientists around the globe really discovered that?!?!? LOL and...maybe too much Sesame Street! maybe..
ReplyDeleteMy boys are still a little young for this kind of a consequence, but I'm totally planning on it later on! Right now they do "writing consequences" where I write a little lecture on the appropriate topic and they copy or trace the sentences (depending on the kid). I figured later on we'd graduate to essays, and this example is perfect ammo!
ReplyDeleteYou have an awesome teen! But then you know that! You're doing a great job, Mom!
ReplyDeleteGreat essay, T6!
Totally impressed, lets hope it actually sticks now! and that his siblings read it in case they ever get the inkling to lie...
ReplyDeleteLove it! He lived up to my expectations. You can tell he's gotten a lot of lectures. :) If he's anything like a few of my boys, I'd be asking for a lava pit for Christmas, just in case!
ReplyDeleteAnd what is his blog address? This boy needs some media attention!
ReplyDeleteYou are such a good mom! I am proud to call you FRIEND!
:)
Yea, that might do it. I like the approach either way!
ReplyDeleteHey and if you want to join me in my contest give aways and share with your friends, I would greatly appreciate it. There's 12 days of give aways, today was day 2...
Here's the links
Mom is Teaching Day Two
Mom~E~Centric Day Two
Education Uncensored Day Two
Wow, wow, wow! I have to ask you, Dawn, did he really spell those words correctly? Not that I'm doubting, just curious, because if he can write AND spell, he's a double genius!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely storing this trick away for when my kids are older. Thanks for the wonderful tips.
I guess I was wrong. He really did it, and he did a good job -- goofy but good :)
ReplyDeleteI think you might need to build a lava pit for all us parents to use when we suspect our children of lying. Hmm, patent idea?
May he grow in the power of the "Force" that totally cracked me up.
ReplyDeleteHey, Dawn...been reading your blog for many months. This comment is for Austin.
ReplyDeleteAustin, I am a mom. My sons are 23 and 22 years old. Your essay was awesome, totally. I am very proud of you. You will do great things in your life, I just know it. Thanks for letting your mom post your essay. Now, start your own blog! :-)
I don't know about the lava idea! One of your other kids might try to play Indiana Jones again to save him!
ReplyDeleteWay to go Austin!!!
ReplyDeletecorrina
That is great! Not great that he got in trouble, but great writing! I really enjoyed reading it and found myself giggling a lot! He definitely takes after his mom!
ReplyDeleteI think he inherited your humor and writing talent! Get that boy a blog!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great lesson and a great essay. My Mother used to say "I will always trust you until you prove to me that you can't be trusted." or something like that. It hung over my head - the always part - like a ... like a pool of lava maybe, and always made me think twice.
ReplyDeleteI read your blog every day. I am the oldest of a family of five and my kids are in their late 20's. You do a great job.
Wow. He is a great writer. Did you have to edit it at all?
ReplyDeleteThe last part really made me laugh. You can always tell who grew up with Sesame Street.
Love it. You've got a good kid, there, Dawn. We all mess up. I like the biblical truth and promise, "and the truth shall set you free."
I am not lying when I say that I enjoyed this essay!
ReplyDeleteNo lie.
Let's pray your son continues to be a true wise guy.
I mean a truly wise guy!
I loved the "brought to you by...."! Now I'm waiting for
ReplyDelete"The Electric Company" to be next.... "shhhh......ur.....sure!"
Great job, Austin! I know your mom is very proud of you!! Thank you for letting her post your essay. You guys are helping more people than you even realize!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job to you, too, Dawn! What an awesome idea to have Austin write an essay. I swear, my daughter would look at me like I had two heads if I had her write one! I think I'll stick with Austin's lava pit idea!! Wouldn't it be good for your skin -- all that steam and heat?? hahahaha
This comment has been brought to you by the letter M and the number 4. ;)
Donna in PA :)
Love it. Here's hoping the lava doesn't need to be pulled out too darn soon.
ReplyDeleteWell done, Mom and Son! We are all capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit, until someone presses us to our potential. At least he's thinking about truth and consequences now. How many of us walk out our capabilities and oaths? He may just surprise your socks off, Dawn. Keep up the good parenting!
ReplyDeleteI def. think you should save this for when he starts having girlfriends and read it to them. It's supper funny and cute. Yay for him completing his assignment!
ReplyDeleteGreat paper!
ReplyDeleteI love his references to Sesame Street and Star Wars!
He's a great kid! Kudos to Austin. Here's a timely quote I happened across today that says it all.
ReplyDeleteWhen in doubt, tell the truth.
MARK TWAIN (1835-1910)
Sharon in Ohio
completely amazing.. Go Austin!!!
ReplyDeleteAltho i kinda didnt get the 'letter T and number 6 part'.
Do enlighten
Maybe I should try that with my 12 year old. Good job, Austin!
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! You've got a great kid there, Dawn. What a great essay. I wonder where he gets his style of writing from. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGood job Austin. I had to learn those lessons the hard way myself. But I'm happy to see that you've followed through with your punishment, and that you're willing to put in the work to get it done. I'm proud of you, kidlet. :)
ReplyDeleteI recently came across a similar essay I had to write for my mom when I was about 12. It was about being mean to my sister, or rather, why I shouldn't.
ReplyDeleteAustin's is far cleverer than mine was.
Great "punishment" - maybe he thinks you are so mean now but you did him a big ole favor here. Either he learned not to lie, or he learned to be more conscientious about his homework, or at the very least he learned how to invent an essay from a basic prompt which'll do wonders in a few years for his college essays.
I emailed this to my 13 year old daughter. I'll let you know what she thinks in January when (hopefully) she is ungrounded from the computer.
ReplyDeleteWhat a well written essay! I feel the same way about lying. I can tolerate the kids acting up or being mouthy at times but not lying. I absolutely despise lying and won't tolerate it. Luckily I don't have much trouble with lying yet but I'm sure the day will come. You're an inspiration to many of us moms Dawn!
ReplyDeleteVery sweet, Dawn. I have to say, almost the best parts were the references to both Indiana Jones and Star Wars. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteDawn.
Great essay. Good work, Dawn. Margie
ReplyDeleteWell, all the reasons he gave for why it's not a good idea to lie are the exact reasons I had for deciding to just be truthful. He left one out though: When you lie, you have to remember what story you told, because if you get it wrong on retelling, you get in deeper than you were before. Tell the truth because it's easier to remember and you always get it right. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat paper! I wonder where your kids get all this creativity ; )
ReplyDeleteI loved reading Austin's essay!! He got right to the point and wrote a well written 5 paragraph essay..hehe. I do hope he learned his lesson because I'm sure the lava is way hotter than he would want to feel!
ReplyDeleteGreat way for you to "punish" him too!! He learned if you lie, all you get is more homework too.
That is AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteI love that he has inherited both your writing skills and your knack for sarcasm.
Did he still have his tongue in his cheek when he gave it to you?
I am so going to use this idea with my kids when they are older.
Well, he caved I see and did the essay! I love it... at least he threw a little humor in it. :) Lets hope it sunk in. Good luck!
ReplyDeletepriceless! the best part is the 'I cannot live like this anymore!'
ReplyDeleteThat is so adorable! When he gets to college make sure and send that to him his freshman year, about halfway through his first term, when a lot of bright students forget to keep doing what got them to college in the first place - working hard and being honest with themselves about it.
ReplyDeleteVery good! I can see where he gets his writing skills!
ReplyDeletePeggy
oh my goodness I couldn't live with a kid like that! He's too funny to be stern with!
ReplyDeleteWell, Austin definitely gets his sense of humour from you! He sounds like the kind of kid I would have had a crush on when I was 13 ;-)
ReplyDeleteWow. He is so entertaining - just like his mom! He should start his own blog too. Or he could write the forward in your next book.
ReplyDeletePretty good job for a 14-year old! There are some gems of wisdom thrown in there along with his own "flair".
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! ;)
Awesome...be sure you save that! Will come in handy some day when his kids lie to him! LOL! We had similar situation with our youngest daughter and we made her write a paper too..using scripture references on topics like lying, trust, respect etc. She was much harder on herself than we would have EVER been! She still remembers it 6 yrs later!
ReplyDeleteYea! He did it! And YOU did it by MAKING him stick to his punishment.
ReplyDeleteI think he is going to follow in his mom's footsteps, he is quite a good writer!
And lastly - a SPECIAL HUGE thank you to you for stopping over at my blog AND commenting. You have NO idea how special that makes us little people feel. :)
You are a gem Dawn. A real gem. Keep up the great work and I can't wait to get your book! I hope you have some book signings scheduled b/c I'd love to shake your hand!
Best to you and yours,
Me
Sunday questions:
ReplyDeleteDo you send out Christmas cards?
HOW do you keep up with your blog, your house, your Facebook, your book, YOUR LIFE?
How many hours of sleep do you get?
What miracle VITAMINS do you take to not get sick and have so much energy?
I don't think I should get this much enjoyment from someone being punished. Part of me wants to forward this to people in my family who can't stop lying to everyone about everything, even tiny pointless things.
ReplyDeleteWoW the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He definitely has you gift of words!!
ReplyDeleteYou have to be proud...of the writing, not the lying lol
"This paper has been brought to you by the letter T and the number 6."
ReplyDeleteahh..
the joys of growing up with Sesame Street.
Thanks.
I have the theme song stuck in my head.
great.
Just great.
Austin has an incredible gift for writing. I was really cracking up (at my desk, while I was pretending to work, which I guess is a form of a lie...great now I need an essay). Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGood job with the essay, Austin.
ReplyDeleteHilarious! What a great essay:) Do you think he really believes what he wrote, or is he just writing what he knows is true?
ReplyDeleteWhat a great essay and what a great exercise for him to do! I can see where he gets his writing talent!
ReplyDeleteI read the essay to my kids (ages 9 & 6) they loved it and I hope they will learn from it.
Thanks for the post!
Way to go, Austin!! That was a great essay! Especially that last sentence! :-D And that's the TRUTH! ;-)
ReplyDeleteA pit of lava? lol
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn
ReplyDeleteI have been following your blog for over a year now and thought that maybe you can help me get this information out so that we can help this family. I am going to include the letter that I sent to all of my contacts and hope that your faithful readers will help out anyway that they can. If everyone can give a little something that would be great! I have posted the link to his website at the bottom of the letter.
Thank You
Jenifer (the letter follows)
Hi Everyone,
I am just sitting here thinking about one of our close friends Chuck Campbell his wife Vicki and 4 kids (3 still at home). They are in desperate need of everyone's help. He was diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) about 3 years ago and has gotten progressively worse. He has seen many specialist, had many scans, and the final results are not good. Chuck has been sent to a team of specialist at Temple University and the end result is that he needs a DOUBLE lung transplant. This is very, very expensive as you may imagine and insurance only covers a very small amount. The transplant team will not even touch him until he has raised about $500,000. This is where everyone comes in. They are in need of donations and any and everything will help. I am posting the link at the bottom of the page to his Temple fundraising web site and all donations are tax deductible and are greatly appreciated. Please help us save our good friend so that he can see his 4 kids grow up. If you have any questions please call Vicki Campbell at 302-424-2189 she will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.
Sincerely
Jenifer Coverdale
http://www.transplantfund.org/restricted/patient-detail.cfm?pat_id=2727
OK, as a mom to 2 toddlers currently being potty trained, I am ROFL at the "letter T and the number 6". Of course, in our house, everything is currently "brought to you by the letter P and the number 2!!!"
ReplyDeleteBravo Austin and Bravo Mom for maing the punishment fit the crime. Hope things are happier in your house now that it's done!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite line:
ReplyDeleteFacing the truth is not bad at all, it’s even more forgiving than lying and it builds respect, trust, and your power of the force.
OK, I just lied. That was not my favorite line. This one was:
Bottom line, or paragraph, is that lying is bad and the truth is good so, tell the truth and you could be that one person that tells the truth.
Now do I have to write a paper on why I lied to you?
I enjoyed Austin's essay-- will you have him read it out loud if he slips again?
ReplyDeleteI am curious-- how much of that is from what you have said to him (consequences, etc), and how much is directly from Austin?
Hey Austin, I don't often laugh out loud when I read something but I thought your essay was great and I laughed when I read your last paragraph!
ReplyDeleteGood job...
Simply LOVE Austin's letter. Kinda reminds me of the I Love Lucy episode where she bet Ricky,
ReplyDeleteFred & Ethel that she could go an entire day without telling a lie.
Love it! Here's what my 5 year old daughter wrote when I caught her lying. Not quite as eloquent as Austin. Oh well. I have hope.
ReplyDeleteThat was AWESOME! It has his goofiness in it, but it also has some seriousness and seems sincere. At least the kid feels bad when he lies! So he's not a sociopath!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, this is too awesome! Great job Austin- I give you an A++! Dawn, I think he takes after you in the writing department ;)
ReplyDeleteI really liked Austin's essay. I hope he takes it to heart.
ReplyDeleteGood job, Mom. Good job, Austin.
"When you say you “don’t have homework” when you really do, you are less likely do your homework shown in recent studies by scientists around the globe."
ReplyDeleteI like how he did his research! LOL!
It might sink in-- I remember writing a report on lying when I was young!
ReplyDeletei am a bit late in catching up but my 17 yr old and I LOVED austins paper... shes been in deep doodie for lying for a while now and she is now afraid of the pit of lava LOL.... the boy has a great sense of humor :D
ReplyDeleteGrins Laura and Martha.
Ask her some time about yard therapies... picking up sticks and rocks and clearing an acre and half of leaves.... yes yard therapies impress ... at least for a little while LOL.