It is so funny that you say you son is so respectful at 8 yrs old, but, what do you think he will act like at 13?

I recall being told the same thing about “Terrible Twos.” Expectations are a powerful thing.

Do not tell me he will be the same way!!!

Nope…better!

it strikes me that he really looks like your oldest–is this my imagination (I’ve seen only a couple of pics of your kids), or is the resemblance really there? And do they both take after your husband?

My oldest has olive skin, and my youngest has pink skin. All our babies kind of look the same, though, like Scott babies. Our 4th most resembles my husband. In fact, I had strangers say, “I know exactly who your husband is just by looking at your baby!” Nobody looks like me, which is good, huh? #3 most closely resembles me–she has my eyes. But I think she’s going to be tall. Lucky her, it stinks never being able to buy clothes off the rack without hemming them.

Amy I have a question for you (and all your readers). I’ve noticed that your oldest son seems to be pretty chivalrous towards his little sisters. Any tips on how to teach that?

Shannon, I’ll write down a few thoughts when I get more minutes. (Can you send me some in the mail?)

Oooh, 5 hours… liveable, at least

I knew as soon as I wrote that that I’d regret it. It was a long night last night…. no five hour stretch by a long shot.

Thanks for the thoughts on allowances, All. Sounds like a few of you (ok, Molly) are trying to persuade me to open the purse strings. We do pay for big jobs, and the kids all buy their own loot. (Doesn’t anyone around here read my blog?) We try to reevaluate when a chosen path stops working. I guarentee that nobody will leave our home not knowing the value of a dollar. We are Scotts, afterall. :)

Looking at your delightful wee one, it strikes me that he really looks like your oldest–is this my imagination (I’ve seen only a couple of pics of your kids), or is the resemblance really there? And do they both take after your husband?

Now, if I could just figure out a way to get people to give us childless couples their leftovers so we could get out of cooking every once in awhile . . . .

Hey, regarding the “anti-allowance because that’s teaching children only to do chorse if they get paid,” no one gets an allowance because they do chores, at least not in our house. We do the chores because we’re part of the family. We get the allowance because we’re part of the family. EVERY once in a while there will be an extra job that a parent will make available to any entrepeneurs willing to work it, but usually work is done simply because the whole family pitches in.

Okay, enough babbling out of me…

How’s the sleep going?

He has done a five hour stretch a couple times this week. I’d be tickled if he’d do it twice in a row (2 five hour snips). We’re managing well, though. Thanks for asking.

Molly and Amanda, Thank you for the input.

However, we wanted a way to teach our children about money (and avoid the “I wants” at the store), so we decided on two methods of doling out “income” to them. First of all, they take care of the recycling, and in return get to keep the money (5 cents per here in HI). They rinse the bottles out, count them and deliver them on recycling day. They divide their money into tithe, savings and spending. Secondly, I got a great idea from Lisa Welchel’s Creative Corrections book that I modified to fit our family. When I tell my kids to do a job, like clean their rooms, I will reward them for “diligence”. In other words, if they finish in a timely manner, they may (or may not) receive a reward of a dime or some nickles. This helps reinforce God’s natural law of diligent work leading to prosperity, and it is an awesome motivator to my children.

BTW, your children are adorable.

My husband does allowances with our children and we LOVE it. He started with them when our oldest was three, and has a detailed budget that they have to abide by, including dividing up their total into specified percentages—–money for savings, money for giving, and money for spending.

With their spending allotment, they budget and buy pretty much all extra goodies. My oldest, for example, wanted to go swimming recently and so saved until she could buy passes for teh whole family, plus snacks. We cut her a deal and offered to pay for gas for free, but that’s not always the case! They buy birthday presents for others (including family) out of their “spending money,” etc, too, etc.

I was really against allowances at first (using some of the very arguments used on this post and the comments, might I add) but went with my husband’s decision in support.

Well, now I am a huge fan, at least of the way my husband does it. It is just awesome! They have such an amazing grasp of money and budgeting, and can spot a sale sign a mile away, can smell a cheap marketing gimmick, and MORE! LOL… I think they love thrift stores more than I do, might I add…

They are also amazingly good at counting money and dealing with change, again, products of an education that includes weekly budgeting and finances in it’s weekly “curriculum.” I don’t think that one *has* to have an allowance to do this, but it sure makes for a regular hands-on educational experience in finances.

My husband’s family was really good about this, even getting their children checking accounts at early ages and expecting them to keep their checkbook balanced, etc… Whereas my home as a child was a “big spender” type where money just appeared to do whatever we wanted it to do when we needed it. Jeff learned careful budgeting skills at age eight, whereas I learned them at age eighteen. Hm.

I’m glad Jeff came from such a great background, too, as his wife! And now our young children are already better equipped with handling finances that most adults are in today’s world…and I love it!