Sunday, August 24, 2014

Sparing the Rod, Not Spoiling the Child, Getting Rich***



We have a dog and her name is Valentine. She was named Valentine after the patron saint of epilepsy, and she was supposed to be a therapy dog for Sophie but is now just a regular old family dog. She is a Standard Poodle and is as goofy and chirpy and bouncy in this, her eleventh year, as she was when we got her at seven months. Feeding her daily and giving her fresh water is the responsibility of The Brothers, and years ago when they were still Young Lads, when they bickered too much about who had done it yesterday, etc., I instituted a system of odd and even days. Since Oliver was born on an even day and Henry an odd one, it works out beautifully (except, of course, for the occasional months with 31 days), and you'd think that would be all taken care of, right?

Wrong.

The Brothers, no longer Young Lads, don't feed the dog unless I remind them, and this is really getting on my nerves. That photo was taken when I realized that the dog dishes were dry and empty at 10:00 at night, so out of pity and responsibility for this creature in our home, I fed her and then spared the rod but didn't spoil the child.

The new rule is this:

Every day that goes by that I have to either remind you to feed Valentine on your day or you forget, I get $1. I will collect this money at the end of each week. We're starting today. You each owe me $1.








***The getting rich part involves another rule whereby I collect $5 if I hear a curse word (other than if one is seriously injured with blood spurting or bones sticking through clothing or one is talking to an insurance company clerk) or see any rude hand and finger gestures (other than those directed in service to #don'tstarepaparazzi). We part time working, stay at home mothers and caregivers have creative ways to make money while we polish our toenails and eat bonbons on pink linen sheets.

13 comments:

  1. Lord, you'd make a fortune off of me and my mouth. But I always remembered to feed and water the dogs.

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  2. I swear way too much. Yesterday, after going to my step-grandma's funeral I asked my kids what they would say at mine. "She swore a lot."

    What are you planning to do with all that money?

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  3. That's a good way to teac ht eBrothers that thye need to work for their money and if they don't work, no money. $5 for a curse word sounds a bit much to me, but then again I'd unlearn to curse in a heartbeat this way I'm guessing.

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  4. What? No champagne with your bonbons?

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  5. I made $100 one year on this same sort of scheme. On her birthday, I pulled every last penny of it out and showed her just how much money she could have still had if she had only but done her chores...then I took myself and hubby out to a fancy dinner.

    Also, I would go broke if I had to give $5 every curse word I used.

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  6. financial incentives seem to work for us adults, so maybe it will work for your teens.

    I hated it when my daughter skipped chores and then I was the bad mommy for bringing her attention to this and making her get 'em done.

    But...I have grown up nieces and nephews who don't lift a finger unless specifically requested. Arg!!!

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  7. Just heard about the earthquake and wondering and hoping you are OK.

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  8. I love hearing about these systems of fines in family life. It always reminds me of the curse jar overflowing with cash when my girls were little. The fines were for me. I think I bought a car or something....well, I could have.

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  9. Unfortunately for me, the swearing jars were for me, in our case. There's a lot of that going around here, it seems :) Hoping this pays off for you and Valentine.

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  10. Ah, ignore my comment. I thought the quake was in Los Angeles.

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  11. Well, I'll be interested to hear how that turns out! I sure wouldn't want to be fined every time I curse. :)

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  12. This is way better than my idea to take a shot every time I have to tell the girls to feed the dog.

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  13. Yep I've been there. I felt like I often said "the puppies are hungry.....". My son was pretty good at at, but it was just him with the responsibility. I would suggest every other week instead of the odd / even days. Maybe if they did it every day for the 7 days it would be less of forgetting (if that is more the problem). I do like the billing them if they forget! Clever, clever....

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