That’s when Operation Payback began. Toby and Max secretly took a few of Ben’s prized items—his favorite bottle koozies and even his Bluetooth speakers. On the way home, Max, in a moment of mischief, even brought Ben’s dog, Cooper, into the car.
Later that evening, Ben called in a panic about his missing items. I sweetly told him, “That sounds frustrating. You know, like when someone takes things and doesn’t return them.”
Forty-five minutes later, Ben showed up at my door with the LEGO sets and a few extra sets as a peace offering. “Lesson learned?” I asked with a grin.
Ben sighed. “Yeah, yeah. Message received loud and clear.”
As he drove off, my boys high-fived, and Toby said, “Mom, you’re kind of terrifying.”
I smiled. Sometimes, a little creativity and karma are all it takes for a family lesson.