Atoning.

Bennett just got caught indoor bowling with a coconut he found in the kitchen. Not a big deal, but on the eve of Yom Kippur I'm wondering: Do kids have to atone for sins of stupidity?

I have been discussing forgiveness with kids and we'll be asking each other for forgiveness .. it's a good exercise in humanity, not to mention humility, if nothing else. But stupidity -- is it a sin, or just a normal part of growing up? At what point do we expect them not to do things, like wipe up a mess of paint with a pretty handtowel, but to use a rag instead? When is it alright to expect them not to fill their water cups to the brim and then act shocked when they spill and drip on the kitchen floor? Will they ever know that at this point wiping up the water is a good idea because in a matter of seconds a sibling is about to slip in it?

Some things to think about... when I take a break from atoning for my own many missteps of the year.