Paying The Help

Owen is learning that money has value. I know this because I find him, periodically, digging through my purse to collect spare change. Directly out of the change pouch on my wallet. Whenever he finds a coin, whether on the ground, in my purse, or under the couch, he yells the same thing: "Today is my LUCKY DAY!" We don't have a piggy bank for him yet, so he will stuff coins in his pockets or carry them around whenever the mood strikes.

Given his current infatuation with change, I came up with a great way to use this to my advantage. Even though Owen is potty trained, we still have some issues. He hates to stop what he is doing to go. So he just bounces around even higher than his normal bounce, and he holds it. Then when I finally make him go, there is a wet spot on the undies that is usually large enough to warrant a change. Lots of laundry.

So the other day, I told Owen that I was very sorry but I was having to do SO much laundry that the next time he had a wet spot like that I would have to charge him a quarter to clean the extra undies. Sure enough, the next time he went it was wet, and I took a quarter from him, saying, "OK, well now you give me your quarter so that I can clean your extra laundry!" at which point he jumped up with a huge smile and said, "Really?? Oh, THANK YOU Mommy!" and gave me a great big hug.

Hmmm. Apparently he thinks he got a bargain. Or he never realized that I was doing his laundry in the first place. Or perhaps he is smarter than I realize and he is just calling my bluff...