P20-peso bill for transportation fare unaccounted for

As a parent I made it a point to let my children know that I am not a perfect person or perfect parent. If I were in your situation I would tell my sons that I'm sorry, that I made a mistake. I think by admitting your mistake and being honest and humble about it, you are at the same time teaching your sons to be honest. That it is okay to admit your fault and be honest about it for this is part of being human. Nobody is perfect. Since what you have done cannot be undone, you have to do what you have to do and that is to tell them honestly that you made a mistake in blaming them.

I wonder why you conclude the money was taken by one of your sons. If my kids would take the money I doubt if I would notice it, but they also would ask me first (or I tell them if they ask for money to take it out of my wallet). I have to admit I seldom have much money in my wallet and if there isn't any they accept a no as well. I don't check every cent anymore like I once learned from my granny (which nearly drove me crazy). I think if it was gone I would think first about what I would have spent it or I might have lost it somewhere. Then I would ask my daughter (eldest) not accuse her since I know they would not just take it. None of my kids would. If I would accuse them false I would apologize. I can still remember my mother waiting at me as she sent me for doing the shoppings for a whole week. She scold at me, beat me up outside on the street, she called me a thief a liar, said I stole the rest of her money. She was swinging with her wallet in front of me. I did stay calm. Later after the beating up and she finally let me have a look in her wallet all the money was still there. She never apologized for it, she found her behaviour completely normal.

I believe apologizing will do you good. It will make your child feel that you love him and you value his feelings. Tell him it's a mistake. If I was in his place, I will really feel bad being blamed of something that I didn't do. Apologizing will really help make me feel better. I think your son will feel the same. =)

Oh... guilty might pull me down for days.. I think 'sorry' and explanation would help me lighten the feeling. It is never an excuse that though I'm a parent I wouldn't bend my knee for humility.