Bustin' My Buttons - OR - Why Bribery Works Well in Child-Rearing

Ever since Matthew learned to ride without training wheels last summer, family bike rides have been a bit umm...painful at times. You see, Alan and Matthew and I could all zoom along quickly, but Michael remained pokey due to his training wheels. And having his Mother's Temper, he would get impatient when Matthew and Daddy would zoom on and leave him behind. Despite the fact that his mother patiently remained behind to accompany the little victim. Leaving Mother with the impression that her presence was insuffient. For shame!

Earlier this evening while I was cooking dinner (in my heels and cotton house frock because we are, you know, straight out of a 50s sitcom), Alan was trying to teach Matthew some of the finer points of defense in soccer. This is Matthew's first year playing on a soccer team, and he is a bit hot and cold in terms of practicing. My sweet, loving, coniving hubbers had the brilliant idea to offer Matthew pennies for taking the ball from Daddy and getting the ball in the goal. This is a prime example of a parent who knows his son's heart and nurtures his love of money. Groan. Matthew is going to [proudly] grow up to be a miser.

Of course, "Little Me, Too", as we often call Michael, was also intrigued with the idea of money for skill work. As Michael is not currently too interested in soccer, he brilliantly realized he had to come up with another plan. Ahhh! Bike riding!! As Alan happens to be the World's Best Bike Riding Without Training Wheels Instructor (teaches it at the local community college), he has been working with Michael here and there this summer. So, Michael (with Daddy's spendthrift encouragement) decided to give riding without training wheels a real whirl tonight. And gracious - he was off! Before five minutes was up, Michael was riding across the large cul-de-sac outside our home.

And look at him go! Whoosh! He still hasn't gotten the hang of how to start off. Also being his Mother's Son, he is easily frustrated when he doesn't figure out how to do something new Immediately. But clearly he knows how to keep going on his own, so learning how to get started should be soon to follow. Seems like there should be a lesson there...something about how the hardest part of a task is just getting started. I'll let you just take it from there.

So, it appears that the family trait of accepting bribes paid off (ha! get it!) tonight. Is that not a proud face? Thankfully, it only takes pennies to get my boys to do something. Clearly, this is something I'm going to take advantage of since there are weeds to be pulled, laundry to be done, dinners to be cooked, campers to be cleaned, squirrels to be shot...