Boys vs. Girls

I have started to reread the book Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson and I crack up every time while reading the lists that little boys and girls have created saying who is better and why. Here are a few things from the lists.

Girls Rule Because:

girls chew with their mouths closed

girls are more talented

girls don't let stinkers as much

girls are more smarter

girls walk more politely

Well of course, some little boys read this and were highly offended. Here is their rebuttal:

Boys Are More Better Because:

boys don't worry about "diet-this" and "diet-that"

boys are way more cooler

boys learn to make funny noises with their armpits faster

boys don't cry and feel sorry when they kill a fly

boys eat with a lot of heart

Being a girl myself, I have to admit some of the things "boys" brag about do not appeal to me at all. But being the mother of  2 boys, I am making myself sit up and pay attention to what makes little boys tick. I am constantly surprised by what they say and do and as of this morning, by what they argue about.

I was in the bathroom putting on my makeup and the boys were eating breakfast at the counter. This is the part of the conversation I could hear because voices were starting to be raised:

Caleb: Owen! You did fart two times! I heard you!

Owen: I did not! I only did one!

Caleb: You did two! I heard them. One right after the other! I heard them!

By this point I had made it down the hallway to intervene. I asked what was going on.

Caleb: I was sitting by Owen and then he started to fart and didn't say excuse me and he did it two times and he says he didn't! (please note that this was all said with much finger pointing and a voice filled with accusation)

Owen: (with tears in his eyes and a quaver in his voice) Mommy, I only did one! I would feel it if I did more than that! (at which point his voice broke and the sobs started).

Once I controlled the tears and got apologies from both boys, I walked back down the hallway thinking that I have never had to deal with an arguement about that before. Boys! Yeesh!

When I got home later that day I noticed Caleb had a new sign on his door.

Upon closer examination I finally sounded it out.

You give it a try.

No Owens

I am serious

No Owen

While reading Dobson's book he brings up the fact several times that boys are

different than girls. God made them that way for a reason. Before I had children I did notice this in the classroom but since becoming a mother I notice something new every day. This last month I decided to take a few pictures to show you what I mean.

Saturday is laundry day at my house.

It is always fun to see what treasures the boys have "pocketed" away during the week.

I find things like marbles and dinosaurs.

7 sinister swords.

And what is this? A headless soldier?

Oh. Whew! He survived the washing machine and is ready to do battle again.

Only question is,

 am I?

Dave Jr.

Dave Ramsey's Steps to Financial Peace:

1. Save $1,000 fast

2. Pay off all debt except the house

3. Finish the Emergency Fund (4-6 months worth of expenses)

4. Maximize Retirement Investing (12-15% of income)

5. College Funds for the Kids

5b. Brainwash Your Chidren

6. Pay off the Home Mortgage

7. Build Wealth Like Crazy

Step 5b doesn't really exist but Mark and I thought it would be fun anyway. Since step 6 was going to take us awhile, we needed something to entertain us! For Christmas we bought the boys this:

It came with all this:

Mark and I sat down and listed out the chores we wanted the boys to be responsible for, as well as how much money they would be paid at the end of the week for doing those chores. We then put up their charts on the fridge and each night one of us will do the checklist with them. It is awesome! I am no longer picking up after them or cleaning their rooms! They are setting the table and clearing if off when we are done eating. They feed and water the dog and best of all, they have special shovels and pails to clean up her poop each week!

We sat down with the boys and explained that they would be receiving money for doing these 5 chores each week and if they didn't do the chores, they didn't get paid. We told them that they would have 3 envelopes to put their money in: 1 for spending, 1 for saving and 1 for giving. They were thrilled.

I took the boys on a field trip to Wal-Mart (don't tell Mark!) and they each chose something to save for. Then I took their picture and we put that up under the chore chart on the fridge.

Owen chose a Star Wars light saber and Caleb chose an army vehicle of some kind.

Then we started. The first couple of days we walked the boys through each chore and told them what we expected and what they needed to do to meet those expectations. Then we started to just remind them to do their chores. Now, they are doing them on their own and I'm telling you - my life is suddenly much easier!

Owen keeps telling everyone "If I don't do the work, I don't get paid!"

Here they are - doing the work.

And here they are - getting paid.

I am loving every minute of this and I can't think of a better way to start teaching our children about money - the responsiblities of it, the work ethic behind getting it and the fun there can be found in having it.

I love the fact that they have to save up their money for a special something.

I love going to church and seeing their pride in placing their "giving" money into the offering plate

I love how people are offering our children money to come do a chore at their house - mainly cleaning up dog poop, but hey - it's money, right?!

Loving it!