Confessions of Cookie Thieves

Confessions of Cookie Thieves



The temptation was too great for them. We were playing outside as homemade chocolate chip cookies cooled on the kitchen counter. I sent a 2 ½ year old Caleb and 4 ½ year old Isaac into the house to wash up for lunch with instructions to leave the cookies for dessert. I scooped up baby Logan and a basket of laundry and headed in to make grilled cheese sandwiches. I immediately noticed something missing from the shiny cooling racks which had been covered end to end with pure temptation.



I had no trouble tracking the thieves. Their fingerprints were everywhere...on the walls, down the hallway, on doorknobs. The trail of mischief continued as I saw the telltale sign of chocolate chips that had fallen to their death and were trampled by pattering feet on a beige rug. Oh, and there was the giggling…the distant giggling like little hyenas that had come upon a fresh find. I arrived in Caleb’s room to find the two culprits standing there, dumbfounded. Isaac, the oldest, quickly swallowed the evidence. However, Caleb who was less practiced in this deception stood there with his little round cheeks filled. He couldn’t even utter a word, for he knew his secret would be discovered.



It didn’t take a brilliant private investigator to crack this case. The two suspects had chocolate smeared all over their faces. They had tried to hide under the covers and their little faces had smeared chocolate all over Caleb’s pillowcase.



Biting my lip so as not to crack a hysterical laugh, I said in a stern Mom voice, “Boys, there are some cookies missing from the kitchen, do you know anything about that?”



Caleb looked terrified. He hadn’t expected this interrogation. His cheeks were still puffed out like a little chipmunk. Ah, but big Brother Isaac would save the day.



“I think Caleb’s teddy took them!” Isaac replied without skipping a beat.



I had to bite my lip even harder not to laugh at these two little cherubs. Especially when I saw the look of disdain Caleb gave Isaac for that comment. I just knew he was thinking, “Why are you making MY Teddy take the rap?” But Caleb was still hiding his secret tucked away in his cheeks. He couldn’t protest because then he would surely get in trouble. He conceded and allowed his beloved Teddy to take the fall. The only thing he could do was silently agree. So, with a beautiful round face smeared with chocolate and cheeks full of cookies he shook his head with a decisive “Yes!”



“Hmmm, I see. “ I said, as the wheels in my brain were spinning with the need to teach my children honesty and obedience balanced with the desire to catch these two on videotape and possibly win thousands on America’s Funniest Videos.



“Well, I’ll tell you what boys, since you were here and saw what happened I’m going to get the video camera so you can tell Daddy about it when he comes home.”



I ran to get the camera, focused it quickly on the two suspects and asked them to tell their story. The chocolate was still evident on there round little faces, but Caleb had finally swallowed the cookies he was saving for an opportune moment.



Just then, a timid little voice spoke to me through the video camera.



“Mommy, I want to tell you something.”



“Yes, Isaac, what is it?”



“Mommy, Me and Caleb took those cookies.”



Caleb saw his chance to put in a word for his trusted companion. “Yeah, Teddy didn’t do it!”



“Ok boys. I’m very glad you decided to tell the truth. That was the right thing to do,” I said.



At the pivotal moment, my boys had chosen truth, just like we had taught them. Sometimes as parents we struggle to teach our children what is right, to avoid things that will hurt them, to have integrity. We wonder if when the heat is on, and a real life decision confronts our children if our training will pay off. I have a videotape of two little cookie thieves with chocolate smeared on their faces, confessing their crimes, that I will always treasure. It is in these small victories character is built, memories are made, and Teddy bears are vindicated.