Third Time's a Charm--Er..the loss of a charm..

First week of school, Wendy lost her new pink flip-top water bottle.  She came home with it several days later.  Second week of school, Wendy lost her lunch bag with sandwich box, including freezer tray.  We got it back a couple days later.  Today, she HOWLED in agony when she realized she lost her sandwich box, which contained a little pink fold-able laptop eraser (which I'd hidden beneath her baggied chicken, cheese and fruit cup).  I drove back through the long line of cars until I could park, and we (Linc included) went into the school building, checked the Lost and Found bin, checked with her teacher.  Gone.  She must've thrown them away after eating.  I told her about when I was about her age and lost a Cabbage Patch Kid purse, filled to the max with all of my favorite trinkets.  We'd gone to a mall and the last time I remembered having it was in the shoe department.  Thirty minutes later, we'd searched the dept. and I had to cope with the sorrowful realization that my treasures were gone.  G-O-N-E.  It's a hard lesson to learn, but one we all learn at some point early on.  I'd gotten this little eraser for Wendy from the $1 section at Target, and it was one of about 3 left.  A while ago.  Not likely to find another.  So, I made the kids wait outside my bedroom door, locked it, quickly rummaged around in my secret box of lunchtime hide-away treats (a rare deal), and gave her a tea set--puzzle erasers.  I know, sounds like I popped a good learning opportunity, however, my heart knew her pain and I granted her this small consolation prize along with a warning that I will not do this again.  That losing things is not a problem others should fix for her.  That she needs to be more responsible for her belongings at school.  So, let's hope this speech of mine makes an impression.  This time, there was grace and mercy, in the form of a cheap eraser, but next time, and there will be a next time, she's flying solo.