Honestly...

THWAP! BANG! THUD! Ka-tink-tink-tink...

Those are the kinds of sounds that make you go running towards your children.

So when I heard just that the other night, I jumped up and sprinted towards it, hoping there would be no blood accompanying the destructive cacophony.  Rounding the bedroom corner, I appraised the situation.  Ambulance needed? Band-aids? Well, fortunately, there was no blood, no painful tears, but there were an awful lot of sheepish looks and guilty faces filling the space... I found a couple of my daughters in the palm tree bathroom with the towel rack in their hands, instead of attached to the wall where it was supposed to be.

"What happened?" The question is as natural and obvious as anything.

"It... just fell off the wall," one little one replied.

"It fell off the wall?" I replied, drizzling my statement with disbelief. "You know, you don't get in trouble for breaking something. Accidents happen... but you DO get in trouble for not telling the truth.  Do you want to try again?"

"Well... we were hanging on it and it fell off the wall." Well, that was delicately put, I thought, as two penny-sized holes gaped open from the wall.  Ripped with force beyond all reason is more like it...

"Do you think that was a good idea?"

"No." Good answer. Obviously.

"Remember, things can be fixed or replaced, but telling the truth is far more important..." Then followed a lovely discussion about honesty, and being truthful and trustworthy... And we were all edified and rejoiced together. And then we fixed the towel rack.

Over the next few days, I pondered why my kids thought it was a good idea to hang on a towel rack... too much time on the school playground? Not enough time at the park? Or wanting to be a climber like daddy...

THWAP! BANG! THUD! Ka-tink-tink-tink...

My thoughts were interrupted by a sound that I hoped to never hear again...

And there was my son... standing in the owl bathroom... towel rack in hand, guilty look on his face... "It just fell off the wall..."

[Heave big sigh now...]

Next time I make a public service announcement about honesty, please remind me to invite ALL the children of the household. It will save me a lot of time... and maybe even a towel rack or two...