Taking Home Rocks

[Alwaysgreener]

I have a couple of kids that try to take home rocks. They will find one in the yard and show it to me saying "Look at my rock, I am going to take it home to show my mom", correct them and say that it is my rock and they did not get my permission to take it home. After some back and forth especially with the older one, they will go put it back. (I allow flowers to go home, I have even sent home daffodils on occasions but there is even a limit to that.)
Does anyone else have kids that claim things they find in the yard or in the house?

[e.j.]

There's a huge maple tree in my play area that always seems to be dropping leaves, especially in the fall. The kids find colorful leaves that they want to take home with them. As far as I'm concerned, they can have as many as they want! lol

[Alwaysgreener]

There's a huge maple tree in my play area that always seems to be dropping leaves, especially in the fall. The kids find colorful leaves that they want to take home with them. As far as I'm concerned, they can have as many as they want! lol

But do they ask if they can have the leaf or just tell you it is theirs? Because I think it is the telling and pocketing rocks that gets to me.

So today, the older one came up to me showed me the rock, and tries to go inside to wash it off. I told him, no (state rules he can not be in the house alone and he knows this) I explain again that he can not go in alone, that we just got outside, that if he really has to go in, I have to stop everyone from and call them to go inside (then the younger ones are confused and try to stay inside or think mom is here) so he can wash my rock that stays outside. Never asked if he could have it, just tells me that it is his and he has to wash it NOW. Nope, you are not getting that rock or any other rock, go put it back.

My dd is not allowed to take rocks and other items from other places without asking permission, I remind her what that nature show says that she likes. "In Nature, take nothing and leave nothing."

[Blackcat31]

I don't allow the kids to pick up rocks at all. A neighbor was seriously injured by a "stray rock" that was thrown from a lawn mower when someone was mowing her yard,
I just tell the kids that rocks are meant to be left where they are and that they are NOT allowed to pick them up.

We do have a space in the yard that has rocks, sticks and other natural materials that they can play with, explore etc but they are not allowed to take them, pocket them or lay claim to them.

I did have one kid that found a tent caterpillar worm and pocket it to take home... found out after he had it in his pocket for several hours. ....didn't care one bit that he took it home. lol!

So yes, I understand what you are saying as it's not really about the rocks themselves but more that the kids think they can have or claim them when they really don't belong to them at all. In that instance I would tell the kids the rocks belong to your yard and if they want to look at them, check them out etc (whatever you allow as far as play) but they rock STAY and can NOT be put in their pockets or taken from your yard. If parents question you at all, I would tell them it's about principle and the fact that the items in questions, do not belong to them. Parents can address the details etc with their kid.

[GirlMomma]

The caterpillar in the pocket is hilarious! 😂

[e.j.]

The caterpillar made me laugh, too, and it brought back memories. lol Both of my kids would come home from school with various things hidden in their backpacks and lunch bags - caterpillars, worms, crickets, frogs... I never knew what was going to pop out at me when I opened their bags. It got to the point where I refused to touch them anymore and they had to leave them in the breezeway until they'd emptied the bags themselves.

[e.j.]

But do they ask if they can have the leaf or just tell you it is theirs? Because I think it is the telling and pocketing rocks that gets to me.

It's kind of a half and half thing with the leaves. Sometimes they ask and other times they say something like, "Can you hold this leaf for me so I can put it in my cubby and take it home with me?" (I won't. If they want to collect it, they have to hold it or put it somewhere safe. I refuse to be their maid! lol) All kidding aside, I do understand the point you're trying to make with your dc kids and don't disagree with you.

We don't have rocks in the play area but we do have two patios that are close together with a short walkway in between them. The walkway (aka "The River" because I guess it looked like a river to the kids who were here when it was first made) has a path of stepping stones that are surrounded by blue-ish/gray crushed rocks. Some of the kids are fascinated by those little rocks and several of them have tried to pocket them to bring home. I do tell them not to touch those rocks because the walkway would be destroyed if I let the kids mess with them. Also, my son has planted tons of flowering plants in the yard and around the patio area and the kids want to pick the flowers to bring home. Sometimes, I let them but I always explain those are M's flowers and he likes to look at them when he's out in the yard so we have to ask his permission first - so I really do understand what you're saying.

[CeriBear]

Yes! My kids are always wanting to take nature (leaves, rocks, pine cones, bugs) into the building with them. My rule is that nature stays outside unless they are picked up from outside and mommy or daddy says they can take it with them. I once had a girl really throw a fit when daddy told her she had to leave “Lilly the Ladybug” outside where she lived. Every once and a while we will have a nature walk where the kids can bring in a pine cone or a leaf in for us to look at with a magnifying glass.

[e.j.]

I was thinking about this thread yesterday! I'm closed on Fridays but one of my dc parents stopped by to drop off her payment check. I got a text message saying she had just placed the check in her son's cubby and that along with the check, was a rock that her son wanted me to have. I went downstairs to check it out and sure enough... the check and the sparkly rock he insisted I should have was in a baggy in his cubby.