Lying

Before Christmas we had a situation come up.
One morning the kids were getting ready for school. Ty had fallen out of his high chair. So I was attending to him. Cody was in the family room finishing getting ready. The only people upstairs was Blakely and Porter.
After taking care of Ty. I went upstairs to straighten up. I see that either Blakely or Porter has unloaded a full tube of toothpaste into 2 small play cups. I was in a good mood that morning. It didn't even make me made. BUT I did want to know who had done it.
I wanted to tell whomever had done it. That it was wasteful and that it wasted money. Money that daddy has to go out and earn.
So I walk downstairs and ask Blakely and Porter who did it. Telling them before hand that there will be no punishment. They're not in trouble.
Both of them say it was not them.
I tell them "I know it had to be one of you, so one of you is lying."
Again both deny it was them.
I tell them that they need to tell the truth. And that they are going to get into trouble for lying. Not for the toothpaste. The sooner they come clean the lesser punishment they will get.
Here they are still denying it.
Porter says "Maybe a ghost did it."
I told him I know a ghost couldn't have done it because its hard for them to pick stuff up.
So I say I will spank both of you. Why don't one of you fess up?
Still more lying. So I take each one and give them 1 swat on their behinds. We go 3 rounds. Before Porter confesses it was him.
In the back of my mind, I know it wasn't him.
Throughout the day, I would ask him if he did it. He would say NO. I figured at 4 he couldn't keep up a lie all day.
The kids have a secret elf that leaves gifts for them at our front door. No, I am not that elf. Although I talk to him often.
So I tell the elf not to bring Porter or Blakely a gift. He still brought one but on the note it said "somebody better tell their mom the truth".
Again Porter says it was him. It still doesn't feel right but I try to believe him. Blakely pinky promises me it wasn't her.
I'm sure your thinking this is where the story ends. But no.
2 days after all of this, Blakely comes to me and confesses it was her. Says she feels really bad. But that she didn't want to get into trouble. I reminded her that I told her there would be no punishment.
After pinky promising me and for lying to me for that many days. I told her that she will have to earn back my trust. That now her word means nothing. If anything happens I will think it was her no matter what she says. That being an honest trustworthy person is a priceless quality. And one that you want to have in all relationships. I wish I was better with words. And was able to explain it better to her and to you. But I barely have a High School diploma, LOL.
I said it'll probably take awhile to earn my trust back.
Cody has said to her a few times "Yeah, well your word doesn't mean anything."
Hopefully she learned a lesson about lying. Hopefully she will be an honest person.
I know I could have probably handled it better. But hindsight is always 20/20.
Teaching things like honesty, is kind of scary because it is so important. It makes me realize that I am molding people. Hopefully good people. What an important job I have!