Punishment for this?

[MamaNae]

LOL! Obviously if a huge branch falls DH takes care of that right away, this is the little 1ft or less sticks lying all over that fall from the trees all the time. It just takes FOREVER and is worse in the fall/winter because the grass is brown. I don't double check to make sure they got them all, but usually they're out there for 30 minutes or so just picking up sticks and putting them in a pile. And of course I do nothing with the pile so it's completely pointless...

[vatblack]

I just thought about you because I took my DD for a short walk to the library. On the lawn there, she started picking up sticks for fun.

So much for that as a punishment!

[escapethevillage]

I would have two consequences. One for purposely throwing keys on the roof, and one for lying about it.

If he had come and told you he did that, you probably would have been angry, but not AS angry. He made a stupid choice, and didn't think it through first. Because of his stupid choice, Dad had to miss out on overtime, and risk hurting himself to get the keys down.

At the age of 8, he can start "fixing" or making amends for what he's done. He can make a choice, but there's always a consequence that goes along with that choice, and he gets to live with his consequence.

I would suggest having some consequences in mind for the future, so you can make it swift each time, instead of thinking on it for a day or so. In my experience "punishments" don't work. One sweeping punishment like being grounded, or no tv, or something doesn't work as well, as fixing what you did.

In this case, he took the keys from his sister. He didn't want her to get them back, so in a HUGE lack of judgement, he threw them on the roof...then he framed his sister for the crime. He owes his sister, you and his Dad some time, apologies, and maybe a some extra work to pay off what he's done.

[leyash]

I would keep him by my side for 3 days (that's about all I could handle, lol). Tell him that since he can't tell the truth, you have to keep a SUPER close eye on him to make sure he's not going to do something and lie about it.

And honestly, I'd have a serious sit down talk with him. Explain to him that it hurts you. Cry if you need to. Tell him that you REALLY want to be able to believe him when he tells you something. Tell him that you don't want you guys' relationship to suffer because he lies to you. Explain that while he thinks he might be in DEEP trouble for doing something, the punishment won't really be all that bad if he just tells the truth to begin with. He's 8. He understands. I do this with my 6 year old and he RARELY lies. It really seems to snap him back into reality. He knows that if he lies to me, I won't trust him, and all privileges go out the window.

[mlgurney]

I can totally relate with you!

[tallanvor]

Another thought, though I warn you some people would call me out for being cruel, would be to put something nasty in his mouth when he lies. Nasty out, nasty in. We've done this a few times with apple cider vinegar.

[jesajane]

I think you are doing a great job trying to figure out which punishments work, and you have some creative ones!
My 6 year old daughter lies to avoid trouble, too. And it always backfires.
I have a word of caution though, and I hope it doesn't offend. I hope that you don't call him a liar to his face. I worry about doing this, as I don't want to solidify a character trait in my daughter that I don't want her to have. If she believes she is a liar, and if she believes that I believe she is a liar, she will have no motivation to change. I want her to rise up and meet the standards of an honest person.
Hang in there! I hope he "gets it" soon.

[AbbieJack]

He did three things wrong IMO

He lied

He did something silly that he is old enough to know not to do (throwing the keys on the roof)

Framed his sister

So he needs 3 punishments for the three infractions.

(1) Would lose the privilege of being unattended for a week. (since you said it is an on going problem)

(2) I would sell his stuff to earn the thirty dollars your DH missed out on.

(3)He would be doing something nice for his sister for a week for trying to frame her (Cleaning her room, doing her chores or whatever )