This past Saturday, Katie wanted to earn some extra cash to purchase a webkin. Apparently, she spied one of the plush toys at a local vendor, and, it was one that was a rare item. The rocks that lined our pool's patio needed weeding, so Cindy placed out equally spaced X in chalk. Each X represented a dollar.
Did I say it as hot on Saturday? It was.
I also had my chores. I finished our small group lesson and went out to cut the grass extra short because we are getting ready to overseed the lawn and aerate it next weekend. In less than two hours, I had four 32 gallon bags filled and both yards done. Katie had moaned about doing one X. She asked if I had any other chores, she called Cindy to see if she could do something else. The truth of the matter was, between the heat and the spiders, it was a tough job. After the last complaint, I stood before her, tired already from my job, and I laid into her. Perhaps a bit rougher than I had meant, but, I wanted the point to be clear: sometimes we have to do things that aren't fun and we need to see the job through.
I have seen grown ups on the job over the years who never learned this lesson.
She cried, and I left her there. When she did finish, and we paid her the dollar, she gave it back to us and went upstairs. I took it back to her, put my arm around her and told her that she really earned this dollar. I did not like the attitude that she had through out the process, but, she worked hard for this one. After I had cleaned up, I took her out to 7-11 for a Slurpee. I started to watch some football. At some point, I looked out back, and she was right where she left off, pulling more weeds. This time no complaining and just concentrating on finishing the job in no time at all.
She learned the lesson.
3 comments:
That's some good fathering. Do you mind coming down here and motivating my son into doing his home schooling? There's a dollar in it for you!
I guess there's a big difference with Grandparents - my mom told my niece she would give her a dollar if she would be quiet for ten minutes on the drive home from Carowinds. Actually, she just wanted her and her little friend to take a nap on the drive home to Columbia. It worked. They both went to sleep and mom gave them both a dollar.
And Quincy got a dollar from Grandmommy because she wanted to give me a dollar because she loves me. I will never spend that dollar either!
When it comes to grandparents, all rules are off...
Of course that is one of the joys of Grandparenting (or so I am told).
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