Dad Dollars Endeaver

     So, I had found this idea in a family fun magazine a while ago, but then proceeded to misplace the magazine and I couldn't remember the web address to go to to print these "dad dollars" out.  Anyway, I googled it and found My blessed Home's Family Blog, and found the link, which is awesome.  I had all these idea's, but then ran out of oomph for a bit after I got them printed out.....maybe I would say I got sidetracked by the other things going on in our daily life.   Anyway, I finally got around to cutting them out and making the list of what my kids could do to earn them, and what "prizes" they could turn them in for.  Yesterday.
 
     So, we've been having trouble with my 5 year-old son sometimes in preschool.  This is his first year going to "school", and most of the time he's great, but occasionally he does something....like poke a hole in the Styrofoam bowl and not tell the teacher before she pours his soup in.  He's all boy, and I think has a bit of trouble harnessing all that energy.  So, yesterday, I told him that he would get a dad dollar every day if he had a good day at school.  Today, I went to pick him up, and he had a big smile, and said,"Hi mom, I did good, so I can have my dad dollar, right?"  How cool is that?  Time will tell whether or not  the desired effect will last.  What I am most excited about is that the "prizes" are things like an extra 1/2 hour of video game time, movie night, staying up a 1/2 hour late, and of course a few things like small candy, or some silly string I picked up for a dollar.  So, the out of pocket cost is very minimal for the parents, which is an awesome thing!

     I am so hoping that this will reinforce some of the daily habits we're trying to get into the habit of doing, as well as lessening the chaos that tends to happen when you try to get four kids together before school, when 2 of them are completely capable of doing it themselves.  Also, one of my stipulations is that the "job" gets done the right way, without the throwing of fits, which for some reason a few of my children think will work in getting them something.  So, only one day in, and doing pretty well, I think.

A sort of Epiphany

So, I think I've finally come to the point where I've realized I really do need to make some sort of cleaning schedule, much to my chagrin.  This is coming from someone who is a "messy", so I feel like I'm making some sort of headway.....never mind it's taken me 8 years to get to this point.  How long it has taken for me to reach this point doesn't truly matter, does it?  Anyway, I'm in the middle of a true upheaval in the way I'm trying to do things around the house, as well as with our "budget" which currently is non-existent.  I'm so hoping that I will be able to get my husband on board, as well as being self-disciplined enough to at least get to the part where we've figured what we've been spending and can make a "spending" plan. For now, I'll be happy with the fact that I've got to the place again where I'm not having a desire to be out all the time and always finding some way to spend something, justified or not.  This is truly an accomplishment, and something I would've never been able to do without God's help.  Shopping is my "thing", finding a bargain is even better.  I've been struggling with this for a very long time, and God is slowly helping me through it, so I can be satisfied in every sense with what I have, and what he has for me, which is a truly awesome thing in my book.  I do have to say that my husband thinks it's an awesome thing too, in a funny sort of way.  So, we'll just have to wait and see how everything pans out.....and whether I can trust God and know that he has something way better for me than anything I could buy.

A Most Interesting Day

I’m pondering how many other mom’s have done what I did at lunch today. I picked up my 4 and 2 year-olds from preschool, and decided we’d make a run through the drive through at steak n shake. I asked my 4 year old son what he wanted, and he asked if we could go in, as that’s a big treat for them, and his birthday is tomorrow…..I had to feed our 9 month old, so I thought sure, why not. So, we parked and in we went. Lunch itself went pretty well. It was the paying at the register that was a little rocky…..I handed the cashier my card, and she swiped…..and it was declined. Ugh, I had totally forgotten our ordeal last week that involved someone out in Cali using our card number to the tune of 150 dollars, and therefore we put a stop on our card. I’ve been really good at remembering this fact, until today at the restaurant when it was just me and three kids, and only 10 dollars in my purse. So, embarrassed, I ask if I can run to the bank, and bring her the other 5 dollars. She thinks for a moment and whispers “okay”. Off we race to the bank, and back……20 minutes go by, and when I rush back in to the restaurant, there’s another woman at the register, and she can’t find my check in the computer. I think shift change was going on, although at 1:00 in the afternoon would be a strange time for that, who am I to say. So, she says she can’t find it, but I hand her the money anyways. What a day……and I still have to go to the store for birthday salad items, as my boy wants salad with chicken on it for birthday dinner tomorrow….who woulda thunk it. We also have to go shopping for a pattern and material for Halloween costumes, and after I get them to bed some wrapping of birthday surprises must be done. I need some liquid energy I think…..