Finding Summer Part III

Austin has had an interesting summer. Right at the beginning he made some bad choices resulting in a broken window....and this is not his first broken window. In all fairness it really humbled the kid, he felt horrible and was more than a little nervous about what his dad would do when he got home. So we sat down and wrote out a schedule of work he could do to pay for a new one. I gave him several options, but weeding the garden was his top choice, so that's what he did. Every day. Even when everyone else was playing in the pool, or chasing around with friends he pulled weeds.

Honestly, I thought it was something I would have to fight him over, but it seems his sorrow was real, and for the most part he worked hard and willingly. I liked going out with him to get a few weeds of my own, and of course, I loved the time spent with him. He's a funny guy, so honest, and (shh, don't tell I told) screams like a girl when attacked by a baby toad.

One evening he started talking about the amount of money he had earned and it started to connect some dots for him. I've always had a list of jobs for the kids to do if they want to earn extra money, but they've never really taken advantage of it. It's hard to imagine a few dollars here and there adding up to anything substantial. But this time he could see that it does, and a whole world of possibilities opened up for him.

Now that the window is payed for, Austin still goes out and weeds or digs trees out of our field (elm trees are the only thing that grows in our field when we can't water). I'm proud of him and a little nervous he might break the bank. I might need to follow the example of my mil and establish a mission account....

Child: "Mom, can I have the money I earned?"
Mom:  "It's in your mission account"