What do we teach our children?
I just got scammed this week. I lost one of my On Task On Time for Kids to a woman claiming to be a journalist writing an article about “Back-to-school Products.” As soon as I sent my sample, I was alerted on Mompreneursonline.com that this person was a fraud, and she “steals” from many mom-owned businesses asking for samples for a “photo shoot.” Of course there is no article; she just uses the products for her kids and home.
When it happened, I thought, “Well, I’m going to have to let it go and chalk it up to experience.” But after a day went by, I looked at it from a different point of view. We are all teachers and role models to our kids. Of all the jobs we hold in life, this is the biggest and most important. The messages on the Mompreneursonline community expressed so much concern for this con artist’s kids. What kind of role model was she? As an eight year old child, wouldn’t you die of embarrassment and shame if your mom were jailed as a thief? A bigger concern, though, is that she is teaching her kids through her actions that it is okay to steal and lie.
On my side of this, I shared with my kids, especially my daughter, what was going on. What kind of role model was I in letting this thing go? Plus, I really was as mad as heck, and I didn’t want this woman getting the benefits from my product by lying to me. So, with the information from a Mompreneur, I went to get my sample back! It was not about the money. I contacted people and shared information. Not only am I getting it back, I hope I have made it harder for her to scam again.
Life would be so simple if people just worked with honesty and decency. I’m still trying to understand this woman’s brain and trying to figure out how she as a mom and an entrepreneur can steal from other mom entrepreneurs with impunity. Maybe this is a lesson she learned from her mother?
Add comment June 24th, 2008
