Let the Punishment Fit the Crime
Dishonesty is something I do not like. The Lass knows this quite well and yet, every once in a while, she tries her hand at it just to see what will happen... I suppose. I can't think of another reason she would attempt to lie. She knows that she will receive greater punishment for lying than she would otherwise.

And what is the punishment in our house for lying?

Well, that is simple as the Lass will tell you. In our house, the punishment fits the crime; therefore, lying gets you a week of Litter Duty.

Saturday morning the Lass decided she wanted yogurt for breakfast before ballet. I got her yogurt and then went to get the camera to take pictures of this neat looking sunflower. I finished taking the photos and turned around to find her... finished.

"You're finished?"
"Yes"
"But that was about two minutes."
"I ate really quickly."
"YOU ate that quickly."
"Yes"
"And did you give the container to the cats?"
"No, I didn't want them to fight. "
"Show me the container."
"I buried it"
"You buried the container in the full bag of trash?"

Now, at this point it would have been easier for her to tell the truth. Well, it would have been easier for her never to start the lie. At any point, she could have changed her story. But she didn't.

I was preparing to dig through the trash, but I kept asking her if she wanted to change her mind and tell me what happened.

Finally... five minutes into this discussion, she explained that the yogurt had a film of water on the top so she threw it out. I explained that she could have stirred it; it would have been fine.

Instead, she threw it away.

"I know," she grumbled "Litter boxes"

She went to work scooping the two downstairs boxes. She scooped, sifted, and scooped some more.

"let me know when you are finished with those and I will bring Maggie's down for you."

I have to do hers too!"

"Did you lie?"

"Okay..."

I brought it down.

"EW. There is fresh pee too. "


And thus she completed her first day of litter duty. She scooped the poop.

Hopefully she will learn that lying can get one into deep... poop!