When your lessons to your children come back to bite you in the butt.

So we have a rule in our house.

Put your stuff away! Not that it gets followed very often. My children area always leaving their things out. I've had almost every single toy taken away before and it didn't seem to help a whole lot. Not that I can blame them; I'm not the best at picking up either.

Anyway, to drive home the point that they need to take care of their stuff, if they leave it out, it's anyone's game. Emilee will get upset because Megan is playing with some special toy/project/gift of hers and if it wasn't put away then I tell her that it's not my problem. Basically, if she leaves it out then the other kids can do what they want with it.

So tonight I took some money out of my jeans pocket before sticking them in the washer and just left it on the counter. Do you see where I'm going with this? When I told her it was mine, she asked the question....the question she really had every right to ask. "How come I have to give stuff back to you when you leave it out, but Megan doesn't have to give stuff back to me?"

Good point. My daughter is now $7 richer.