Tokens

We've recently started a token system with our girls. They can earn tokens for things like cleaning their room, doing all their chores for the day, staying in bed at night, and being respectful throughout the day. Usually they can earn a maximum of 15 tokens per day, but most days they get around 10. They can also lose tokens for things like fighting, being disrespectful to Mommy and Daddy, refusing to stay in bed at night, and things like that. So far their favorite thing to cash in on is computer time. My four year old often asks me, "Mommy, do I have enough money to play on the computer?" But today my 7 year old surprised me. One of the things they can use their tokens for is Mommy will do one of their chores for a week. This is a pretty expensive thing, at 50 tokens. Well this morning my daughter counted out 50 tokens and said, "Mommy, I'd like you to fold and put away all my clean laundry for the next week!" I must admit, with all the chores she could have picked, that's a pretty good one. My kids really dislike folding and putting away their clothes. But I've gotta say, they come by it naturally. Laundry is one of my least favorite chores, too. So I told my daughter that will be easy; I just won't wash any of her clothes this week! She looked at me like only a 7-year old can to let me know she didn't think I was being funny. :-) So right now I'm washing a load of laundry, and when it comes out of the dryer I have one hour to make sure it's folded and put away. She's a smart girl. I figured she'd pick something like me making her bed for a week.

Well, I'm off to clean the kitchen. I've been slacking this morning, spending too much time trying to figure out what to write about. I'd better get busy so the kitchen is ready for my Dear Husband when he's ready to fix lunch. He's such a wonderful man!