Making money off of my children
I think we've hit the stage in our lives where I'm getting some payback for childhood transgressions. My mom wasn't the type to say "you just wait until you have kids of your own" kind of things, but if she were, she'd be laughing to herself right now.
My brother Ryan and I fought when we were kids, probably no worse than any other siblings. You know, the usual stuff - not sharing, not wanting to play with each other, making all kinds of rules and demands with our things and our space. And now it's happening at my house, and I wish I'd been a better sister earlier in life because certainly then my kids would get along swimmingly.
Martin doesn't want Sophie to touch his things. Sophie wants to be wherever Martin is. Martin doesn't want Sophie to look at him. Sophie wants to sit in his chair. It's maddening. But the thing that's really driving me nuts is the name calling. Specifically - stupid, moron, and any variation on the word poop. I've counted, given time outs, separated them, talked to them about how words can hurt feelings... but still it continues. So this week, I tried something new. I told them that any time I heard those words (with the exception of poop which can be used only in reference to using the toilet), they would owe me a quarter.
The first day, Martin owed me $1.25. And I collected. Which sent him into a pit of sadness and disbelief. I was TAKING HIS MONEY. He LOVES his money, and couldn't I JUST GIVE IT BACK. I put the money in my drawer and told him that tomorrow would be a new day.
Day two, he owed me $0.25, and he handed it over willingly, looking at me like I'd just made him give me the last sip of water on a desert island. He walked off, brooding. He came back a few minutes later.
"Grandpa Marty says moron," he told me.
"Yes, when you're Grandpa Marty's age you can say it too," I said.
"You should invite Grandpa Marty over," he continued. "You could make LOTS of money."
My brother Ryan and I fought when we were kids, probably no worse than any other siblings. You know, the usual stuff - not sharing, not wanting to play with each other, making all kinds of rules and demands with our things and our space. And now it's happening at my house, and I wish I'd been a better sister earlier in life because certainly then my kids would get along swimmingly.
Martin doesn't want Sophie to touch his things. Sophie wants to be wherever Martin is. Martin doesn't want Sophie to look at him. Sophie wants to sit in his chair. It's maddening. But the thing that's really driving me nuts is the name calling. Specifically - stupid, moron, and any variation on the word poop. I've counted, given time outs, separated them, talked to them about how words can hurt feelings... but still it continues. So this week, I tried something new. I told them that any time I heard those words (with the exception of poop which can be used only in reference to using the toilet), they would owe me a quarter.
The first day, Martin owed me $1.25. And I collected. Which sent him into a pit of sadness and disbelief. I was TAKING HIS MONEY. He LOVES his money, and couldn't I JUST GIVE IT BACK. I put the money in my drawer and told him that tomorrow would be a new day.
Day two, he owed me $0.25, and he handed it over willingly, looking at me like I'd just made him give me the last sip of water on a desert island. He walked off, brooding. He came back a few minutes later.
"Grandpa Marty says moron," he told me.
"Yes, when you're Grandpa Marty's age you can say it too," I said.
"You should invite Grandpa Marty over," he continued. "You could make LOTS of money."
I'm not laughing too hard...he gets most of those quarters from my house!
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Maybe Jennie could wrap up all retrieved quarters and give them back at Christmas! Sounds like you came up with a good idea Jennie, Martin losing his money is a biggie!
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