Chores & money

Okay so I have heard friends talk about how they pay their children for chores done at home. Well I had always assumed they should do them because I let them live with me -- ha ha. No, not really just simply that they should contribute to the family like the rest of us do. It is just helping out. Then we made a trip to the store and my kids wanted to look at movies. So for some darn reason I said alright. I mean there were some new movies that came out I may want to look at too! Can we say mistake?! I keep making those, but no one said parenting had a manual. lol I mean it is trial and error and every child is different. Anyhoo, on with the story. They all find something they want and have all decided to try and show me their movie at the same time. It is like a band testing their instruments at the same time. So I get this bright idea and tell them they should start saving their own money and then they can spend it on what they want. My loving children then remind me they don't get paid for chores. So I let them know they will be from now on. "Hooray" they are cheering in the middle of the store - clammering with excitement. They have no idea!! So upon leaving the store I must get reminded at least 10 times on the way home about the chores and the money. Ugh it is my own fault. Children will already never let you forget something if they are to gain, but tell a child with Autism who wants to know everything before or warned and OH don't even ask. Life lessons always lessons. Anyway, we wrote chores on paper, and folded them up, placed them in a hat and had them draw for chores. It was interesting - they were actually excited! lol muahahaha I felt like I was plotting something evil they were so excited. Of course some were happy with their chores and others not so much. It was all even though in some sort of way.
I am not into raising a child to think everything has to be fair. You get what you get and if someone gets something better I believe you should be happy for them not envious. That is what I am trying to teach my kids. Let me tell you it isn't easy.
The week began and they have been on top of their chores now for 3 weeks. If we have to remind them to do their chores they are docked pay. I absolutely love it. They may have small snags of forgetfullness, but a sibling usually reminds them so it is great at team work. They are learning the value of a dollar, responsibility and how to be a team player. Their is nothing like taking care of a toy or game you bought with your own money. ONLY they know how hard they worked for it so it is appreciated much more. It appears to be working SO FAR - I'll keep you updated. *crosses fingers**

After spring break

Well, as most parents know Spring Break (kid vacation) is now over. Yes, we had wonderful, gorgeous weather that you could not have asked for, but we got it. The kids played outside, went fishing, and definitely stayed up too late. *along with mommy* So there is no surprise that Daddy showed up late for work on Monday, the kids didn't want to get up and for some reason the dog decided at 5 AM that she needed to go out. Normally I would curse the dog, oh wait I did, but she is the only reason I woke up in time to get the kids to school. That was by far the longest morning ever. The lunches weren't done, even though I had told the kids 20 50 times to make them. Thank God their clothes were picked out already or they would have gone to school like little hobos. Not that I have anything against hobo's of course, I don't even know if they are around anymore. The whole morning I can't even remember - I'm pretty sure it was because I was on autopilot. I can say that despite the harrying morning I missed the kids terribly. I was so used to them waking me up at 10 am lol and wanting to climb in bed and watch a movie. It was nice when I picked them up **pauses **for about 10 minutes. That is when I remembered why I love school. A day of them at school is my day at the spa. Okay that could be going a bit to far, but you know what I mean right?! lol I mean you know this - it is almost like a sitter. I mean we do pay school taxes right. Enough said!!! I can say even though they started school again, this week seems imaginely long. By the time Friday afternoon gets here it will seem like a really long week! C'mon Friday!!!

Kids, Rodeo and the end of Spring Break

Okay, so went to the Rodeo with the kids. Before we even get there I have to hear "are we there yet?" Um this is when I am thinking no we are still driving aren't we? So I answer with an annoyed no b/c this is now the 5th time I have said no!! We get there and meet friends to enjoy the carnival and animals. Pfeww can those animals all under one big roof sure put off a smell. Any hooo we start off buying tickets. $50 for 100 tickets - yea that puts a hole in your pocket. 100 tickets it sounds like a lot right - NO. It costs like 6-7 tickets for a ride and between 3 kiddos that goes fast!! We hadn't even made it halfway through the carnival when we had to go back for more. Another $50 worth of tickets and we continue our venture through hell journey. Those tickets are now dwindling down to almost nothing and of course when a ride is actually chosen not everyone wants to get on. Mistake number one on a "family" ride. I see this crazy coaster, looks harmless I mean there are kids maybe seven getting on and fine at the end so "how bad can it be?" B-A-D I convince my children well two of them to get on the ride. It isn't high and barely has any drops and we can all sit in it at the same time. They agree!!!! *bad this is bad* So it is our turn - we pay our large sum of tickets and get on. Kids in the middle my husband and I on the end. We are off.... my daughter is starting to panic and the sheer noise of the click click click as the mini coaster takes it's climb. Hell the sound is even getting me worked up. Maybe from the rememberence of riding coasters when I was a kid or maybe from the fact that deep in my belly I know what is about to happen. Oh Lord here we go! The "drop" if you want to call it that at the end of our climb is small, suttle like a bump in the car - doesn't matter just the psychi alone has the two of them worked up. It is fast and jolting and they like to know what they are in for. We weave around and are making our way to the first real "dip" which is slightly deeper than the first little bump. Panic sheer panic they are yelling they want to get off. Yea, let me pull on over and let you off - believe me if I could after seeing what is coming up I WOULD!! We now have two totally freaking out kids in our car. The whole carnival can probably hear them by now and that isn't even what our finale will be. I am now at this point trying with everything not to laugh - just out of sheer nervousness. My husband doesn't handle these "situations" I usually do so he has now idea what "we" are in for. Remind me to tell you about the fishing trip from hell. Anyway, I look at my husband with this look of brace yourself and remain completely calm. OOps last moment and WOW I tell them close your eyes and here we go. This drop is even doing a number now on my stomach. What were they thinking throwing this in the little kid ride?! My daughter is screaming and he is yelling how he wants to go home. They are both crying and my husband is like getting irritated that they are scared and crying. Which of course is irritating me? I mean they can't help it. Geez and this is why I usually handle these situations b/c I am usually the only one brave enough to make them try. We get to the end and I tell my daughter it's over. Don't cry honey that is it we are gonna get off now. Then we get there and our cart is still moving when we should be getting off. Internally I am panicking. OMG if they don't get us out of here I am going to literally kill someone. I can't go through that again - my husband will have a cardiac and my kids will be scarred for life. I can convince them to try it, but that only works once. HELLOOOO?!!!
We get off finally some man stops us and is calling someone to help hold our cart because it keeps wanting to continue the ride. *He didn't know it, but he saved his own life* We firmly plant our feet on the ground I look at my daughter and she says "at least I tried it". I just gave her a huge hug and my son says that the best part of the ride was when it stopped. Little did he know he almost had to wait for that a little longer than intended. You would think after that our little trip to the Rodeo would almost be over huh? WRONG We walk down and my other son, the one who didn't ride, runs up asking them, "well how was it?" Then he looks at their faces and says, "nevermind I know you didn't like it". Kids are so in tune with eachother ( or it could have been the tear stained cheeks they both had). lol We stick to mostly houses now! You know like the house of mirrors, a "haunted" house, a fun house and any other house that we pass along the way. Finally it is time for food. Have you ever tried to get food at the Rodeo let alone for five, 3 of them being children. That is an adventure in itself. It is a miracle they agree on pizza - pizza at the Rodeo. I am wanting roasted corn and sausage on a stick. Anyway, the hard part is over they are all getting food at the same place. WRONG The hard part is having the kids all carry their food through the sea of bodies. People in line, or standing to eat or just simply having their own battle of deciding where to eat. Ribbons should be given out for the sheer nature of bobbing and weaving with a paper plate with 2 huge slices of pizza on it, and making it with the pizza still on the plate to a safe place. We snake through and keep an eye out for our friends so we won't have to call them on the cell just to locate them. Cell phones are the best source of GPS for friends, kids or parents. You just pick it up, dial and ask the famous question "WHERE YOU AT?" lol Anyway we find a nice spot on the ground near the grass and sit. Ah sitting feels good by now it feels like my feet are gonna fall off, but the kids are not complaining so we will continue on. (after lunch of course) I am holding off for the corn and sausage. It is all on a stick I can eat and walk. Okay so more walking, more houses and finally 5, yes 5 hours later they are ready to go home. The whole point was to wear them out-it must have worked because they complained the whole way walking to the truck! My legs hurt or my feet are tired. Um YOU THINK! I am older than you my feet were tired about 3 1/2 hours ago. It is all in fun though right. They had a good time and there was peace on the ride home. they slept:)