GolfHos

A few weeks ago my boy got pissed at me for taking away some privileges (grades related.)  He was up in his room sulking.  My office is attached to his room.  The next day I sit down at my desk and notice a couple of holes in the speaker covering of one of my satellites.  A little investigation revealed there was also a hole in the cone.  Didn't totally blow the speaker but at certain frequencies it was quite noticeable. 

Challenged, both of my kids denied doing it.  I knew it was the boy but I told them they were both confined to their rooms until one of them fessed up.  After about five minutes the boy came to me and admitted he poked the speaker with a pen.  He got to do his sister's chores that weekend and also caught a bollocking for losing control of his anger.

Then we get to speaker replacement.  Both my kids get some money from me every month.  They don't have to do anything for the money - it's all about teaching money management.  They're required to give 10% to God/charity and 10% goes to savings.  The rest is for them to spend as they see fit.  If they go to a show, out to eat, to a game, whatever with their friends or want to buy stuff for themselves they have to pay out of their own pocket.  If we do stuff as a family I pay.  If they run out we won't lend them cash or bail them out.  They just don't get to go.  We figure they're learning and it's working very well for us as a family.

So now he has to pay me back $28 for the speaker.  Learning opportunity thinks I.  Usury laws aside, here are the three options I gave him:

1)  $28 over one month (zero interest)
2)  $36 over two months ($8 interest)
3)  $45 over three months ($17 interest)

He chose #2 and it's paining him big time.   [sm_devil]

(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c189/FuzzyPhotos/images-41.jpg)


Nice UB!

We haven't gone the "allowance" route but I like your idea. My daughter has a checklist with chores listed. She puts a mark every time she does each job. Each mark is $0.25. Now last week she picked up dog poop in the yard and earned 10 marks so it is my discretion as to the worth of each activity.

Her big wow moment with money concerns cell phones. She wants one. She's not getting one. Once I sat her down and explained how much money it will cost her EVERY month I haven't heard another word. Not that I would let her spend her money on one at her age but that's a different discussion.

the only* option should have been:

you broke it, you're buying me this to replace it (http://www.amazon.com/Mission-M-Cube-5-1-System-Midnight/dp/B000ARISWU/)

;D

To be clear, ours isn't allowance in the traditional sense.  They do have chores.  Those chores are theirs because they are Beatha family members and we all have responsibilities.  If they don't do their chores there are consequences but the holding back of the money is *never* a consequence.  The money, the chores, the behavior, the attitude and the grades are all distinct from one another and evaluated individually.

I swear by this approach.  It's golden. 

good, because your decelerating interest rate timeline isn't  [sm_shock] [sm_devil]

He's in 7th grade algebra.  Compound interest is next year.   ;)

I went with the first divide by two and then by three numbers that fit my purpose.   :boxing:

 ;D

I like this idea/approach.  [sm_thumbsup2]



Fuzz, agreed on the cell.  Maddie is nuts over one.  I used to think she would have to wait, or was still too young, but now with the sports, and stay over with friends, and security against the sickos out there..........I may just let her have it.  Possibly like a Firefly or Jitterbug typed deal.




LOL  That's funny as hell.

How much do your kids get per month?  [sm_shock]

i'll take an allowance too, thanks.

$50 and $30 monthly.  They are 13 and 8 years old.  Leaves them with $40 and $24 respectively after 'deductions'.

Sounds like a lot but it's not.  Those of you with children those ages think about how often you put your hand in your pocket for "hey dad, I'm going to _______.  Can I have $____?" moments.  We don't do that.  Ever.  They really have to manage their money to make it through and they are often broke for half the month.

We also let them buy their own clothes.  They get a special budget twice a year separated into a school clothes amount and a regular clothes amount.  They're told they have to buy so many shirts, so many pants, so much underwear and socks, etc.  If the boy decides he wants one pair of Kr3w jeans instead of two pair of something reasonable, so be it.  If the girl wants to shop at Limited Too she's not gonna have a very big wardrobe.

[edit: We do retain disapproval authority on clothing purchases.  My son was ordered to return an inappropriate t-shirt last time around.]

Trust me, they make a TON of mistakes on all of this to include my daughter flat out losing $20.  But I'd rather them learn those lessons now than the first time they walk into a car dealership or get their first credit card.

BTW, 20 minutes ago my son walked in and asked if today is "pay day".  ;D  And it is.   :(

holy crap. $50 a month?
lol

i had to mow 5-6 yards (texas sized yards in texas weather) to make that
damn inflation and generous utah parents  [sm_devil]

Both ways uphill?   :D

I know parents making a lot less than I do spending a lot more on their kids but they're just not tracking it.  Soft drinks, snacks, activities, eating out, music... the list goes on.

no, you usually had to mow them dangerous sidehill  way
 [sm_shock]












 ;)

Yeah, that's probably what we spend.

Susan and both have one. When she has needed one we just let her use one of ours. Plus where ever she is at it seems someone has one for her to use. Oh well...I guess this is part of my crotchety old man side coming through.

Chores at our house are "stretch goals". Basics like clean room, dishes, etc. are non-payable mandatory activities (the family member responsibility thing). Cleaning up dog poop in the yard for Dad? Here's your money.  8)

However you slice it she is understanding more and more about money/work management. Which is good.

That's how Laura grants me my spending money too.

Yeah, we have some of those from time to time too.  Not many though given the ridiculously high monthly amount they already get.   ;) [sm_devil]

And when you're naughty?

Now see, Laura could've saved a lot of time and struggling if she'd kept him in chaps.

I think the belt is the problem.

Now that you mention it, I am seeing something reminiscent of ham in that picture.

I'm guessing cleaning up Monte's poop.

Now that I look at it more closely ... why is she holding her hand in that "got your nose!' way?

I've never said that in my life. Ever. 8) I save all my money, and only buy something "I" want about once a year. The rest I save for Christmas, Birthdays, Mothers Day, Fathers Day etc, which I spend $400+ every year on. If it's for me, I'm (very) cheap, if its for someone else then cost is no object at all. :) So far this year I've spent a grand total of $6 on myself, and that was at a friend's garage sale. ;D

Torp, I think all here agree you're......, uh......, well......, unique.    ::) ;)

That's not my nose.

And I like it that way. :)

Did you finally get a job?

LOL (http://jobs.myspace.com/a/ms-jobs/list/q-professional%20minnesota%20viking%20fan/l-/). 

Have had one for over 7 years, full time caregiving for my Grandma with Alzheimer's, a 6 year old sister, and 4 year old brother. :) Other than that not yet. :)

lol 8)

internet trolling don't pay what it used to

And if anyone on the net would know, it's Aske.

















;D

LOL.  A while back, I actually began to suspect that Torpedo was getting paid by the folks at GolfDiscussions to troll and bait people on FGI with Vikings posts until they got annoyed enough to leave and head over there.  ;D


It's funny, I was at a Web 2.0 conference yesterday and they had a session on dealing with trolls called Troll Whispering (http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2008/03/troll-whispering-at-web2open.html).  I had planned on going, but I missed it.  Torpedo lucked out.  ;)




[sm_whistle] How do you solve a problem like Trollpedo?

I barely even post anymore and your still not happy. ;)

Being happy is for people that don't "get" forums.

You know he can see this, right?

(http://www.pojo.com/harrypotter/ccg/CSCardImages/InvisibleInk.jpg)

Sounds familiar, well partly. ;)

D'oh!  I guess the reverse-ignore feature needs work!

Just kidding.  It's all part of this weird game we seem to be playing.  Where Torpedo keeps trying to annoy me, and I secretly hope that he gets his Linux skillz up to speed so I can hand over running this forum.  I look forward to the reign of Moderator/Admin Torpedo.

You okay? ??? ;D

I was a Mod for a day. ;D Then got demoted. ;)

Uhg.

Well I guess I can live with a purple color scheme.

But if he ever posts in the lefty area I'll crack some sculls.

To be honest, I haven't been operating on a lot of sleep for the last couple of days.  I can't remember anyone I talked to at the conference I went to yesterday, and I seem to have lost many of the bizcards/schwag I collected.

And you fit in here perfectly.

Oh, you two will be having a row?

Hmmm $6.00, well that sounds like you are still living off your parents. [sm_shock] ;) ;D
You are going to get a real shock when you have to pay all the bills. ;D ;D ;D

Um, no, $6 that I've spent on myself, I save all the rest.

I know that. ;D ;D

so  when are you moving out of the house and into the world on your own, torpedo ?

lol, mandatory golfhos threadjack. ;D When the time is right, still needed at home to help with the caregiving for now. :)

Did you ever enter the Torpedo Pool?

My entry isn't looking to hot.

Life Event - Age
Girlfriend - 28 Incorrect (Sarah)
Marriage - 32
First Child - 33
Driver's License - 39
First Job - 41
Tired of Playing Madden - 43
Move Out of Parents' House - 44

Haha. :banned: Speaking of Madden, I have 21 sacks with Allen in 8 games. ;D Would be a lot more if I hadn't took a couple month break from playing it. ;D

It wouldn't be that bad.  Kev likes customizating just about every option there is to customize, so the different themes would still be around.  Of course, there might end up to be 10 different purple themes and half a dozen gold themes and a few less of the other colors of the rainbow. 'Course, if he removes light navy, he'll be in trouble. :redcard:

Then there might be the addition of a few Viking photos, or at the very least the numbers of his favorite football stars scattered throughout the forum along with a few Viking emoticons. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/Black_Cobra/ADForMVP.gif) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/Black_Cobra/1RunDefense.gif)

And he might also change the Cantina to something like "the Field".  The Learning Center could possibly be changed to something such as "Training Camp." (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Minnesnowta_Girl/Smileys/Football.gif)



That wouldn't be so bad, would it? :D

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Minnesnowta_Girl/Smileys/rofl.gif)

And everyone's post count would be permanently fixed at #28! ;D

Hmm, what's the over/under on the number of words on the censor list on a forum run by Torpedo? [sm_scratch]

LMAO at the thought of Torpedo looking up the words and their meanings. Then coming up with a suitable replacement.

Saw "face on a stick" and had a completely different thought of the meaning.

Wouldn't use replacements, just asterisk them out like I have my firefox extension do already. :)