Responsiblity

We just moved to a smaller home and I finally have the Internet hooked up. This is the first time I have been able to get on the Internet in 10 days. I had over 500 new emails, half of them are junk that I will just delete.

Tommy, my little boy finally got his tooth fixed with a bridge. He loves it and shows everyone.

Jerome, my husband, is still looking for an answer to what is wrong with him. The neurologist said that he knows there is something very wrong, but can't quite put his finger on what it is. It is so frustrating for us. Jerome has gone through so many tests, and he has several abnormalities, but nothing that points to one specific problem. His next test is with a neuropsychologist that is supposed to map out his brain and show exactly where his brain is, or isn't, functioning as it should. Those aren't until sometime in July.

Kaesi, my oldest daughter, has been helping me a lot recently. There is a concert this summer that she wants to attend and I told her that she shouldn't be allowed to do anything this summer because she failed 3 classes the last quarter of the school year. I am allowing her to earn her ticket to the concert by her helping me around the house and yard. I have a lot of work for her to help me with, as we are still unpacking and there is a lot of cleaning that needs to be done. As part of the bargain, Kaesi has enrolled in online classes that will make up her missing credits. I have been monitoring her progress and she is on track. If she keeps up the hard work, she will earn a ticket to the concert in about 5 or 6 weeks.

Anna, my 9-year-old, decided to spend a few weeks with her Dad and his family. Her room is still in boxes. She is turning 10 in a few weeks and I told to unpack her room and get it set up how she wants it. I set up the furniture for her and I want her to go through her belongings and weed out what she does and doesn't want. I explained that if I have to do it for her, I may get rid of things that she considers important and she will be disappointed. I have to assume that she doesn't care, because she hasn't even started unpacking. I will start on her room on Tuesday.

I know that some people think that 9 or 10-years-old is too young to be given such a task, but responsibility is something that I have taught my children since they were small. I started them on small chores at the age of 7 and I reward them them for completing their chores and schoolwork. I want them to learn the value and rewards of hard work. I want them to learn that there are consequences for not doing what they are supposed to do. I want them to understand that they are responsible for their own actions and to accept whatever reward or consequence that comes to them as a result of that action.