This is an AT&T LG Xenon Cell Phone. It is Kaelyn's dream at the moment. Kevin and I have decided that we bought her a perfectly good cell phone last year, so we are not going to help her upgrade to this one. She has to get the money herself. She's been fooling with the idea of getting her worker's permit. As her mother, I don't know whether to encourage or discourage this with what I know about Kaelyn. She says, "I can work really hard if I want to." It's that last "IF I WANT TO" that has us scared. We told her this, and she gave us her fourteen-year-old eye roll. You all know what I'm talking about. Until she decides whether she wants to actually work, she's been doing paid chores from our list. There's not much on this list, but there are a couple big ticket items that I'm paying high for so that I don't have to do them. One of them is cleaning the garbage and/or recycling bin. It's $10 per bin. I thought this would never happen because she hates being outside with all the bugs. Well, today she came to me and asked if she could do this. Her explanation was that it's raining, so the bin is already wet and the bugs aren't out. I agreed because who am I to pass up this picture perfect extortion opportunity. I'm her mother, and I believe it's actually written into my job description to take advantage of times like this...and being the good mom that I am...
I missed the pictures of her INSIDE the thing cleaning it out. I don't think I'll ever forgive myself.
Look how thorough she is. She even got the bottom.
Take a good look at this picture. And then look at this...
Take a good look at this picture. And then look at this...
Her hip may be the other way, but it's the same stance. It's the same sass. That's just crazy to me. So here's to Kaelyn who has another $50 to go until she gets her phone. But wait! There's more. Her plan is going to cost her $40 a month, and she says she plans on cleaning for an hour for 5 days a month after school. Cleaning for an hour on our paid chore chart is $8. And that is how maids are born. Just kidding! Kevin and I are pratically biting our fingernails to see how this turns out. It's her first big purchase herself...without our help. I'll keep you posted.
I know I share the feeling with most that you want to give everything to your kids you possibly can. With this though we want to try and instill some "ownership" into Kaelyn. As Nora said we want her to work for it. It's hard not to just give her all that she wants though. She is a great kid and destined to be one to the best trial lawyers around (if that's what she wants). All I know, for a fact, is that she is getting better and better at arguing her point on EVERYTHING. Sometimes (read: most) she argues about the most trivial things though. I have NO clue where in the world she gets it from? I do think, as a father, she is going to have issues keep up the "if I want to" bit. We'll see and, of course, it will probably end up in an argument of us having to pay her bill. Because as you know, it's way harder to be in High School than it is to have a "real" job.
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