The Power of Bribery

Well, maybe I should not call it bribery, but it is something close to it.  Many of you know that we have bead jars for our kids.  We started this almost a year ago and it has really worked for our kids.  Each child has a jar (except for Reagan, we probably need to start one for her pretty soon).  Then each child gets beads for the chores and jobs and other good deeds and things that they do during the day.  They also get beads taken out in order to have a wii or computer turn or when they are being nasty to someone.  For Corey, we even let him cash out his beads for money so that he could get out of debt for his ipod touch.  Anyways, you all get the point. 

Nathan has gotten so that he loves to play this lego batman game for the wii.  I do not even know if he really knows what he is doing, but he looks forward to it everyday.  Well, most of the time, Nate is very low on beads because he spends 10 everyday to have a half hour turn on the wii.  This morning, he asked me  if he could play lego batman.  We looked at his beads and he had a big, fat, 0.  So he asked me what chores he could do.  Nathan worked on cleaning the sink area in the bathroom, he cleaned up a puzzle, he helped me unload the dishwasher, and he helped hang up all of Corey's and Jared's shirts (he is actually really good at hanging shirts on hangers).  All of that earned him 5 beads.  Then I decided that I needed something big for Nathan, where he could earn more than one bead at a time.  I asked Nathan if he wanted to do the Reading book with me.  This is a great book that helps to teach the kids to read.  Nate and I have worked with this book before, but he just has not been ready.  I started too early with him on this book, because Eric started the book at 3 and was done at 3 1/2.  Of course, that kid is just a genius.  Nathan has not been ready, but today he did a great job.  We worked on a couple of lessons and he did much better than he has ever done.  So I told Nate that he would earn 5 beads everytime that we worked on the reading book.  I think this will be great motivation for him.  After we finished, Nate had 10 beads and he quickly spent them in order to get his 30 minute wii turn. Tomorrow, we will start all over again.  But at least, Nate is happy to earn the beads and he just keeps going until he has enough.  What a trooper!

I have to tell another great story about Nathan.  On Sunday, I was talking to Eric about the fact that it will be time for him to get baptized soon.  I asked Eric what all of the kids get when they turn 8.  Eric started to say, the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is true, but not quite what I was looking for (I was actually looking for someone to say scriptures).  Nate turns and says, "you get to kiss!"  I just could not stop laughing at this kid.  I think he has kissing on the brain.  I am going to have to watch him like a hawk.  His best friend is already a little girl, I do not need him trying to kiss her all of the time.  The other day Abigail was over and Nate told her that his brothers always say that "they are in love with each other."  Nate pipes up and says, "but that's not true."  "We love each other, but we are not in love with each other, right?"  They really are so cute.



Here is a picture of Nathan and Abigail posing for the camera.