Money Talks

As I walk into the girls room my shoulders sink, my head drops and the frustration sets in.  Again. I calmly say to them, "Girls, get this room cleaned up...or I'll do it for you."  "No! Don't do that!" comes the reply.  I turn, smile and think to myself, "It's working, right on."

We began giving the kids an allowance a few months ago.  Each week they get a dollar for each year of age they are.  I didn't think it was a lot but the responses I get from other parents when I tell them indicates we are quite generous.  (It's too bad the kids don't get that. Ha!)  We provide them with necessities and whatever else they would like to have they have to buy it themselves.

It serves as a great incentive to be responsible and respectful.  I recently read this book called, Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster W. Cline, M.D., and Jim Fay. One of the biggest things I came away with was that children should have real world consequences whenever possible.  For example, when I break the law by speeding I have to pay a fine.  So when the kids break the house rules they must pay me a fine.  When they leave their things lying around or do not clean up their room I will do it for them by taking everything that was out of place.  I put those things in a box and when they want something back they pay me $1 for each item.  If they don't get their items back within a couple weeks they are given to the needy.  I also have to admit that I got the idea to make them pay to get their stuff back from a friend Kathryn McKee.  (I want to be like her when I grow up.) If my children were to turn out as half as good as hers did I would be thrilled.

Money talks folks not just to adults!