Bribery

Some parents say bribery is the worst thing you can do for your child, especially when it comes to something they are expected to do. They say that it ruins their work ethic, or teaches them to expect rewards instead of responsibility.

I say PISH POSH! It works for me!

We've been trying to convince and coerce Lucy into giving up sucking her thumb for several years now. She had a brief breakthrough at the dentist when she was four, but then went back to the comfortable old habit shortly thereafter. We've had arguments and discussions and tears as we try to help her give up the habit.

It started last week with a thumb that was red and sore and literally cracking from dryness. Then it took a "magic bandaid" and a word from a friend (thanks, Christy!) to get her started. Then it took several nights of tears and reapplying bandaids and convincing her that it was necessary to save her thumb from being damaged forever. And then it turned into "You've already gone X days without it, so if you... then we will..." And now, Lucy has been thumb-free 24/7 for TEN WHOLE DAYS!

We realized this week that all the promises we made would have to be upheld, so we started following through with our bribes.

First, she got a dollar from daddy for making it the first whole week. Second, she has been allowed to chew gum for the first time, which she remembered as part of The Bribe from a year and a half ago. And third, today she got to pick out her own fingernail polish and had her nails painted for the first time ever.

I think she is proud of her accomplishment, and we haven't had any tears over her thumb since those first two nights. I think she also sees that the benefits of giving it up (a.k.a. the bribes) are greater than the need for sucking it. A three-fold bribe for years of effort and anguish. Totally worth it!

Nesting, Part 2: The Front Room

I'll give you three guesses as to what the above picture is. If you happen to say, "Well, of course, that's your china cabinet," then you would be right! At least it was. Until some serious nesting kicked in and some serious laziness got kicked out.

I'd been letting Lucy use the hutch of our china cabinet to collect her random crafts and coloring projects. It was out of the way and mostly out of sight. They seemed to be fulfilling the biblical command to multiply, yet any suggestion of throwing out or paring down was met with tears and protest.

But it had to go. Gradually. Each day while Lucy was in school, for about a week, I carefully selected certain pieces to keep and others to toss.

It inspired me to change everything in our front room. It used to be that you'd walk in our front door and be greeted by a plethora of toys and toy bins. The half of the room that is 'officially' a formal dining room was being unused because we only have one table. Unused, that is, except for the china cabinet. I believe you've met.

A few weeks later, and some stellar help from my oh-so-willing hubby, and we've got a room that has purpose, function, and is far more pleasing to the eye.

And look! My china cabinet is visible and is being used to display the things I want it to. That corner cabinet holds most of Lucy's craft supplies and projects, plus games and puzzles, and we brought up our previously unused table from the basement for her to spread out on.

And please notice my window mistreatments. Thanks to The Nester for permission to cheaply and imperfectly tack up some fabric to soften the room a bit without breaking the bank.

There's a fine line between the painting and piano and the toy bins and cabinets, but hey, that's life for us right now.

Don't you love my pretty green wall? 'Prairie Grass' also adorns the walls in our powder room, so I didn't have to spend a dime on this project. (Bonus: it perfectly complements the decades-old forest painting hanging above the piano and the fake tulips I used to stage our condo.) I love to paint, but John wouldn't let me paint while pregnant, so I did all the taping and prepping, and he got to do the fun part. This is where the china cabinet used to be, and now the toys are out of sight from the front door. Photos of family and friends remind the kids of who loves them as they play, as they sit on shelves that used to be in our condo living room. Joey loves to play closer to the kitchen, and I love that the only cash I spent on this whole project was for the yard of sheer fabric that I split between two windows and the irresistible big brassy B on the photo shelf. I heart Hobby Lobby's 50% off sales!

So as my nesting continues, it's great to feel like this room, which has bothered me for the year and a half that we have lived here, is finally how I want it to be... for now.