stealing my money one quarter at a time

My boys are in cahoots. They are stealing money from me one quarter at a time. Twice now this is what I have witnessed: Alex starts the shakedown by throwing a HUGE fit upon being set into his car seat, screaming and arching his back so that I am unable to lock the belt. In an attempt to avoid the disapproving stares of the total strangers in the parking lot, ( he has yet to pull this trick at home, in our lonely driveway.), I begin handing over every toy on the floor of the backseat to my screaming child. Nothing works. He then stops, mid scream, and lunges for the small flowered wallet hanging off my wrist. Exasperated, I slide the wallet off my wrist and hand it over. My screaming banshee immediately turns into a smiling angel and I slip into the front seat, ready to race away from the prying eyes of the parking lot onlookers.

During the drive my young son takes everything out of the wallet, dumping my credit card and driver's license on the floor. He unzips the change pocket and pulls out the coins, letting them fall into his car seat.

Enter the older brother. I always have Matthew enter the car from Alex's side so he has to pass by the car seat on his way to his big boy booster seat. As he passes Alex's seat he spies the money, slides it into his palm and pockets it.

At home he asks Daddy to open his piggy bank so he can make his deposit. And the job is done.

Twice this has happened to me.

if you ask me, the tall one looks guilty