Did I mention that Bear finally earned his Zune?
Way back in March after a never ending series of small electronic theft (cell phones, mp3s...) I caught Bear with an expensive 8mb Zune mp3 player and decided I'd had enough. I told him this time his restitution for the theft was earning the cost of the item (just like the expensive liquor, but I didn't double it like we usually do for theft since the player was so expensive - 0ver $100!). But there was a twist. When he was done, he actually got an 8mb Zune.
He decided that rather than do "community service" like he'd done for the liquor (30 hours of free labor for family and friends/ neighbors), he was just going to earn the Zune with his allowance. If he does all of his chores and has a good attitude that would be $8 a week, so 15 weeks - a little over 3 months to earn the $120 (I rounded up for S&H and tax). Of course on a good week he actually only earned about $4. I finally allowed him to do some work at a neighborhood thrift store and he voluntarily gave up some of his birthday money, and after getting sick of his massive debts and minimal progress earning it back, we recently doubled his allowance (and the number of chores he needed to do to earn it)....
So finally, 7 months later he's earned his Zune. I'm so proud of him! Plus, I look back and realize that I can't remember having caught him with any stolen electronic items since this started so maybe he's finally stopped stealing! Well... stealing electronics anyway.
Plus, since it's been 7 months this version of the Zune is considered "ancient" so I was able to get one for $60. So he ended up paying double after all! Perfect.
I ordered it a week ago so Bear is getting impatient waiting for it to arrive.
5 comments:
Sounds soooo *fair* to me :)
Cool!!! One of my high school friends recently reminded me about a skirt she wore to a dance taht it took her over a year to earn. She was popular and perceived to be well-off, but really, just like the rest of us, she worked for what she wanted. I think it means so much to work for something. Good job, Bear.
thanks for the info about geodon. she very rarely has side effects to drugs (with the exception of weight gain with resperidal) but I signed a waiver stating I knew the risks of the drug, which her pdoc very clearly reviewed with me. so we'll see how she does. bipolar meds alone just aren't enough for her. At this point she's rapid cycling with emerging psychoses which means her Dx will probably morph into schizophrenia after puberty.
Integrity Singer - as far as I know the joint issues are fairly common for Geodon. Kitty rarely has side effects to meds (although Bear does).
My kids take way more than one drug too. Bear takes - Trileptal, Seroquel, Lamictal, and Wellbutrin. Kitty takes Trileptal, Abilify, and Concerta. They used to take many more and they take huge doses of the ones they do take, but this has been a journey. I hope Geodon works for your little one.
Mary
WOW, Mamma You ROCK! I am so glad I found you and can't wait to read more! I am a mom of 2 children with mental health diagnosis, severe impulse controle, yadda-yadda...
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