Choices Made and Lesson Learned, We Hope

I meant to write yesterday and then the day got away from me and my mind was full of wonder and worry.  Without giving up the guilty, I thought I'd try to tell a story that taught me--and most hopefully the kids--a good lesson about making good choices and only listening to friends who do the same.

A very sweet boy on the swim team made a really dumb decision yesterday.  I happened to be visiting with his good mom when she passed up a couple of phone calls from the team's coach, who is also our friend, and then decided she'd better take this son's text message he sent...that all came in about 5 minutes' time.

It seems that this otherwise good boy--one who is smart and clever and funny and bright--was egged on to "moon" the cars behind the bus as the team drove to the nearby covered pool for their A4 class time practice.  And he gave in to the peer pressure and did it.

Now, here is where the story gets a little dicey.  This otherwise very good, smart and clever boy was seen and a call was made to the local police department who then met the bus at the nearby recreation center and questioned the boy about his "reckless" shenanigan.  This good mom, upon reading a text from her son that in essence expressed "Mom, I made a dumb mistake and now the police are here to talk to me and I'm scared", called the coach back and got her take on what was going on and then appropriately, immediately left our group to go to her boy.

The team had a swim meet later that afternoon, so while my own kids (who don't have the A4 swim class) weren't on the bus for this incident, they were meeting the bus afterwards to go to the meet.  On the bus to the meet, they heard from the other kids about what happened and also heard the coach tell the team how very disappointed she was in them for encouraging this good kid to do something so stupid.  The Boy said that the other kids just seemed to think it was funny and while not a GOOD choice, wasn't that big of a deal.  But The Girl heard from her team friends that they felt really bad for this boy and were worried about him.  They also said there were some kids who tried to convince him NOT to do it.

As I texted his mom, that evening, I was told that this boy would, indeed, face some consequences for his actions.  He was to be suspended from school for a few days, would be benched from the next three swim meets, and lose his team captaincy for the rest of the year.  As far as the legal ramifications, that would depend on whether or not the viewer(s) of his little stunt pressed charges.  If that occurred, things could get increasingly worse.

My thoughts and worries for him included the potential for a postponed (at best) chance to serve a mission--which he was planning on at midsummer with the new age threshold.  If charges are filed it could take that opportunity away from him for good.  It could land him on the sex-offenders registry, and even in juvenile detention for some time, and probably a good sized monetary fee.  Now that is the worst case scenario, but I am quite sure that this usually very obedient, compliant, worthy, priesthood-holding young man didn't think about these potential consequences, or even just past the idea of "Ooooh, that would be do funny!"  Not a single thought past that.

This situation made for a very interesting--and hopefully impactful--dinner conversation last night at our house.  Everything we do is a choice, and for every choice there is some kind of consequence.  Even this morning, The Girl prayed that they would "make good choices and do what is right".  Those are more then magic words you say to get what you want...it is a plea for heavenly help to guide you to do what you know is correct.  Regardless of the other bozos who egg you into something really dumb.

At least, I hope that is what it means...since I, as their mom, pray every day that they will have good friends who will help them make good choices.  Choices and consequences...that is what life is made of for us here on this Earth.  And sometimes that makes or a better day than others.