Re: [at-l] Little boys and the propriety of money for miles

["Cora Drake" <cora_drake@hotmail.com>]

Ask your boys.

You hear how I'm saying that, right? I mean, the good answers are in them 
and you'll get to hear them come out if you'll listen, over the years, to 
how they work them out.

Asking them may be the least dangerous thing you can find to do, if having 
your best hopes borne out improves your sense of security. My "boys" are 34, 
and 30, and 21. Most of the best stuff I know. they taught me.

Love you,
Just Playin' Jane

(Yes, y'all, I know I replied on line you can hear me. Welcome. And while 
I've got you, tomorrow's a holiday; go teach your parents something and/or 
learn something from your kids. It's possibly our truest holiday, because we 
laugh, love, eat, play, and celebrate equality. Outdoors, even. :])


>From: ThatSloetoe <sloetoe@yahoo.com>
>To: at-l@backcountry.net, indianaatclub@egroups.com
>Subject: [at-l] Little boys and the propriety of money for miles
>Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2000 14:09:22 -0700 (PDT)
>
>As a parent, I believe in an "allowance" for children, to build a sense of
>money, property, and such... And I believe in "chores" which you should do
>regardless of whether you get "paid" by virtue of an allowance... And I
>believe in "payback" to our public resources -- especially the outdoors 
>ones
>subsidized tax-wise by those who don't utilize them as often as I...
>
>And yet, back on June 10th, while getting ready to peel off an afternoon of
>hiking and pond-splashing with the boys, I made them the offer of 
>$0.25/item
>for each piece of litter they could bring to the car before we left. They
>both earned $4.00 by the time we hit the trail. I told them I was very 
>proud
>of the clean-up work they'd done. (AND I thought nothing of wanting to 
>reward
>them for the work they did, even though we should *all* be willing to do 
>it,
>without reward.)
>
>This day had been our longest hike in a long time, and as we were returning
>to the car, I was telling the boys of how far they'd gone, and how proud 
>they
>should be of themselves, and how proud *I* was of *them*. And Connor 
>wondered
>"Daddy, how 'bout you give us a quarter per mile?" I laughed "Connor, you
>should get a *dollar* per mile!" (It was a nine-mile afternoon, with "full
>pack. Why not? You gonna tell me they didn't *deserve* it?)
>
>Well, they (rightfully) remembered that little conversation.... And 
>sometime,
>that could run into real money.
>
>Is it right to reward your kids on a per piece basis? Shouldn't they strive
>for the best grades in school *anyway*? Take out the garbage without being
>asked, as part of being a member of a family? Pick up garbage as a "public
>service? Hike miles in their "spare" time?
>
>I know there's a clear answer around this, but this afternoon I don't see 
>it,
>and I know the ground surrounding this issue is full of mines ready to POW!
>life's good lessons.
>
>But in the meantime, I'm now into my kids for a good couple of bucks...
>
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