The Circle of Trust

The twins, who will be 10 years old this summer, seem to teeter back and forth between responsible young ladies, capable of added responsibility and privilege -- and a couple of immature goof balls who can't be trusted any farther than I can throw them.

They want to be treated like big kids, but still revert to little-kid behavior where basic self-control is a daily struggle.

My parenting style, if you haven't been able to tell, is somewhat, shall we say, creative. From Behavior Boot Camp to my go-ahead-and-just-try-me tactics, I'm willing to try nearly anything to raise responsible, law-abiding taxpayers.

This latest gem came to me when Mark told me the girls tried to sneak stuffed animals to school in their backpacks. (Daily frisking at the door is now a requirement, apparently.)

So last night I introduced the kids to The Circle of Trust. Yes, I stole it from Meet the Fockers, but I think it fits.

I wanted to illustrate that trust is something to be earned. And it's something that comes and goes, depending on the kids' behavior.

I cleared the artwork on the fridge and posted this:



I announced,

This is the Circle of Trust. If you show me I can trust you, you're in. If you act like a bonehead, you're out. And believe me, it's better to be in than out.

I didn't quite deliver it like DeNiro, but the girls got the point. They understood that their choices alone determine if they've earned my trust -- and with it, the perks of being trustworthy.

Crowbar on the other hand, raised his hand and asked,

Who's Chuck? The Circle of Chuck?

Lucky for him he's already in.

For now.