Funny thing though is that I actually bought one for $200 online but had decided to not bring it out for Christmas. Spencer isn't always super motivated but for some things he'll work his tail off. It was for just this sort of motivational "carrot" that I quietly kept the Mindstorms hidden. Sometime in January word got out that I (Dad) had hidden it in my closet so what to do?
It was then that I remembered back to the time when I wanted a new baseball mitt. My dad arranged for Jay and I to chisel mortar off a bunch of old bricks that he had reclaimed from an old school and was selling to a hospital (that happened to need the reclaimed bricks). We worked all summer with hammers and chisels and at the end of the summer we excitedly drove to Parks Sports and bought my first ball glove, which I still have.
So I took a lesson from good old Dad and told Spencer that he could earn the robot. He saved his birthday and Christmas money (Thanks Grandma). Exchanged Walmart and Target giftcards with mom for cash and has in the past three months made countless "Extra" job charts in order to earn enough to buy the robot.
The great debate has been defining the differences between jobs that earn cash and jobs that permit you to keep living in my home and eating my food....we agreed on a temporary arrangement, some jobs will earn money...for now. Included on that list is mowing the lawn for the first time. So now that the snow has melted and Spring has arrived Spencer pestered me two weeks ago to let him mow the lawn. He helped me clean the filter, sharpen the blade and fill it up.
Lawn Mower ready! Check!
We walked around yard checking for things that shouldn't be shot out of the lawnmower - like golfballs!!! No golfballs - Check!
I taught him how to cut straight lines, go around trees....Check!
It took two days, one for the front and one for the back but after much determined work he finished and it looked great!
and when it was all done he did what every enterprising young man would do...asked for the Check!
6 comments:
Spencer I will pay you twenty dollars to mow my lawn. Come anytime you want to. You are amazing!
Good training for Spencer. It will mean a lot more to him. We could use him to mow the grass here for Grandpa.
Sounds like a list of good clients is forming. Add my name to it.
Enjoy that robot Spencer. I'm sure at the rate you are going you will have it in no time.
I love it the poor kid is as tall as the lawn mower.
Spencer...I really will pay you $20 to clean my bathroom :) Just trying to help the cause, it's the least I can do right?!
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