But Everyone is Doing it...

Yeah, that was the one I heard this morning.

Josh wanted to take his Zune (mp3 player) to College For Kids with him this morning. I said, "No."

He said, "Why?"

I said, "Remember when you went to the orientation and brought home the rules packet? Remember you asked to take your phone with you the first week? Remember how I pulled out the rules packet and it said basically "no electronic devices" and that if you had them out, they could be confiscated? Remember that? That means "No."

And that's when it happened. That's when I got the dreaded phrase every parent Never. Wants. To. Hear. "But Moooooom, everyone is doing it. EVERYONE has their phones out between classes. I never see teachers take their phones from anyone."

I said, "And? No. Josh, they set rules for a reason. Why are you asking me for permission to break their rules?"

And then I went further with what all parents must say with such a ridiculous statement as my child just made, "So, if everyone one went and committed murder, does that mean YOU'RE going to because, '...they're all doing it?' I would certainly hope not."

I said there comes a time when you will be tested to make the right choice and the wrong choice and the fact that "just because everyone else is doing something" doesn't make it right. You may be tested with drugs. You may be tested with alcohol. So, do you want to seek "permission" to do something you know is wrong just based on the fact that "everyone else is doing it?" I'm not going to give you permission to break someone else's rules.

I went further to explain that I have rules for my house and ... just because a lot of his friends don't know all of our "rules" doesn't give HIM permission to break them when HE KNOWS THE RULES.

I also reasoned with him to the tune of... that's a $200 piece of electronic equipment. Are those 10 minutes in between classes where you think you need it worth it getting stolen and then you not even having said Zune? "Well, I can keep it in my pocket." I reminded him, "Josh, you have triathlon. I know you're not running with that in your pocket. If you fall, it's broken, too. Besides, I believe I've already given you an answer."

I ended with the statement, "Asking me for permission to break their rules? This is a moot conversation to me."

With that he turned to leave. Man, that sucked.