- It's Monday, weigh-in day. I stayed the same as last week. I'm choosing to see that as maintaining my success from last week. Eva's in the process of weaning, so I no longer have those great benefits of burning lots of calories from nursing. I'm really starting to think I'm going to have to exercise to continue losing. blah....
- Today was a very busy day. After going on multiple shopping trips inbetween Eva's naps, I finally got all the groceries put away and started on some laundry. I sat down to check the blogs and then there was a sudden, tremendous crash in the kitchen. I looked over and saw the kitchen window falling out into the kitchen, hitting the sink, and shattering on the floor. How in the world does that happen? Unbelievably, Eva didn't wake up, and it was a good thing, because there was broken glass everywhere. I couldn't get to the glass shop before it closed, so I have to take it in tomorrow morning. Good thing it's supposed to be a relatively warm night!
- Eva got her first doll today. I was looking at possibilities for birthday gifts and we found a teeny tiny doll at Target that was only $3. She is quite taken with it. She carries it around and we talk about what the baby says: whaa whaa, mama, dada. Maybe we'll get her one of the bigger ones for her birthday.
- Tonight I had a chance to work on day 5 of Rhonna's challenge. I didn't have any great symbolic ideas, so I just played with some of my papers, pens, and stickers. It's not a great work of art, but I had fun doing it and I'm glad to be doing something creative every day!
- Lucas informed us tonight that he has another loose tooth (his second). He is especially excited because he's on a kick of wanting money and he knows a loose tooth is a surefire way to get some. We have given our kids an allowance in the past but it kind of went by the wayside and we're wondering if we should start up again. How do you handle allowances?
Monday, April 03, 2006
day 5 of {21} challenge & other misc.
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10 comments:
it is so nice to see your creative art challenge...and about allowences...I love to get them...too bad they don't come anymore....and now with so many chores we do! any how, I think work is the best antidote! I always did stuff to get some extra money...and there is always laundry and (sorting colors/whites, etc.,)
What a day! I can't believe your window fell out! That would totally freak me out--like when the wind blew rocks into my windows. It's terrible to hear unexplained crashes in your house. I really like your art challenge project for the day. Did you stamp all of the journalling? And congratulations of the maintenance. Although losing is gratifying, at least now you don't have to start your week out in the hole.
As for allowance. Jeremy and I get an "allowance" every momth, but I don't think that's exactly what you meant. There are so many debates about giving children allowance, but the one that comes to my mind right now is do you just give it to a child, or make them earn it? I think I'm for a combination of both. Of course the allowance that you give is never going to be enough to satisfy their enormous desires, but that's where additional earning comes in. In fact, you can determin how much you're willing to pay in a month. Cut that in half (or some other fraction) and simply give it to them becsue they are a part of the family. If they want more, they can have a list of extra jobs to do around the house to earn it. Just an idea--I'm pretty far away from having to worry about allowance. I just know my parents were always trying to find a good way to give us money. And, just so you know, these methods always went by the wayside eventually.
Need I remind you that the doll is not Eva's first? What about the one Rita gave her? Isn't she into that anymore? Great job ont he challenge again, and I have no allowance input. I will just glean wisdom from the other comments.
allowance.
we have given annie kate $2.00 a week for some time.
We felt it has been such a great way for her to learn about saving and paying tithing. it seems to have really worked. she saved all of her allowance for 2 years did two garage sales, save all christmas money and bday money and saved $200 to buy a video camera, i have been meaning to post about this, but anyway. i think the key is to be consistent . we give it to her on sunday nights at family council (my husband is so good) and if there is a week where we feel she didn't do all of her jobs that she knows are hers than we keep some of it back.
and really with kids all you have to do it a few weeks and then when you forget they are happy to remind you. she is better about remembering than we are and it keeps us on our toes.
i am excited to hear what others have to say on the subject. i may post this as well.
I tend to think I am anti-allowance but am thinking more because of these comments. I think Amy's idea of just because you are part of the family is probably how I would have to look at it. I don't want them to think of helping around the house being for the money, that is because they live here, etc. And I don't want the fight about if they earned it or not because for the most part we all know they did not! We don't give allowance or pay for jobs that are part of living here but if they want to earn money we will provide something extra for that. In a lesson at church the teacher was talking about allowance and said that she didn't think you should get an money just for showing up alive on Saturday morning with your hand out. I will continue to think on this and maybe do a post on my marble jars that I love. I think my kids are great workers and it is not money related because they don't really know that is an option.
Congratulations on the maintenance! And I love your 21 day challenge posts. I look forward to seeing what you guys are doing!
What's up with your kitchen window falling out? I didn't even know that could happen, especially on a beautiful, clear, non-windy day. Crazy. (I'm so glad you weren't standing by the windown holding Eva, yikes!)
Congrats on the diet maintenance, that's great.
As for an allowance, I definitely think kids need to work at home and know that they are part of a family and that they have certain responsibilities (which increase the older they get). We haven't done an allowance yet, but I think that should be based on the work they do around the house, with the option of earning more for extra jobs. I think they're attitude, willingness to do the jobs, and that they do the jobs well should all factor in.
They need to know that it's a privilege to be part of a family and that they need to do their share of the work. Amie always says that there are certain things the kids must do "because they live here." I agree with that. Our kids have pretty cushy lives and get lots of perks along the way, I don't want to cheat them by letting them grow up thinking they're entitled to everything just because they showed up. Plus, it's great to see the satisfaction they feel when they've done a job well. They have a stake in the process and love that feeling.
I was in such a tizzy about the allowance thing that I forgot to say how much I love your art challenge piece for today. I don't know why you're saying it's not a great work of art, it is great. Are you just giddy about using all your stuff at one time or what?
I saw your allowance question. We used to pay our girls an allowance every week - but I would forget and then they would show up six weeks later wanting it all then - needless to say I would end up giving them my own spending money. So now I give them each $10 at the beginning of the month. In order to get their full ten they have to clean the litter box and feed the cats every day. The also have to keep the toy room clean and clean their rooms on Saturday. I also give them the option of doing some extra jobs to earn extra cash. But they are also very good about just helping when I ask ( and they don't beg for compensation!) They always help with dishes, taking out the garbage or any random task I need help with. I have a very strong testimony of tithing and wanted them to get in the habit early on. I also recently started charging them a quarter for every item they don't put away upstairs or in the toy room. It has been an amazing motivator. I have only had to charge them each once! I do feel that Nicole should probably get more than Kristen, because she helps out more, but I don't know if I am prepared to face the meltdown that would cause. Something to think about - if you implement allowance - should Max get more than Lucas? by the way - I love your beautiful pages!
first of all I love your art journal entry. very cool.
about the allowances...I think it is good for kids to have an allowance to learn responsibility. I don't know that I would give them money for jobs done around the house as I feel that is there contribution to being in the family, but for extra jobs absolutely. It is easier to teach them when their young rather than older when the consequence becomes much more painful.
I am a firm believer in the principle of allowance. I also strongly believe in giving kids chores and holding them responsible for the chores. The linkage between the two is less important,in my view. Allowance allows one to teach the principles of saving and tithing at an early age. Too many people struggle with saving because they don't learn to save in their youth. The same applies to tithing. These principles are best taught to kids in their youth. Rather than providing all wants, kids should be provided with the opportunity to earn things they want (a good principle for life!).
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