I got a call today from Mom J about Older Boy.  We talk frequently about behavioral issues and successes.

Today was not a good day at their home.

Older Boy had earned their trust and they were allowing him to ride his bike to the city swimming pool each day.  The live in a really small town.

Their pool closes over dinnertime and opens again in the evening.  Yesterday Older Boy didn't come home for dinner.  As Dad J was leaving to go look for Older Boy two boys came to their home to ask for him.  Dad J said he was at the pool and he was on his way to look for him.  The boys said he hadn't been at the pool for three hours or so and they wanted to talk to him, because they believed he had stolen their cell phones.

Older Boy was found in possession of both cell phones riding around in a car with a friend he has been prohibited from spending time with.  A friend who does not yet have a driver's license.

While all of this is bad enough, when Dad J found him (in the car) he told him he wasn't riding with the other boy.  He also said he did not have the cell phones even when they were in plain sight.  He then started screaming he would rather go to the juvenile detention center than go home with Dad J.  I'm sure it is because Dad J is going to give consequences and he will lose privileges.  He immediately lost the privilege of riding his bike and had to go home and write apology letters and deliver the stolen cell phones.

Pray for Mom and Dad J.  Older Boy has now lost all of the trust he had earned and they are extremely hurt.  Parenting Older Boy is difficult even on the really good days.  Pray for Older Boy.