Make 'Em Work For It!

Those of you that know Cam, know that he has wanted a bird since his life began. Seriously. He cam e out chirping. No really.  He has talked of getting a bird since the ripe old age of 3. Our stance was always NO. I like birds. I love watching them from my window. I feed them 10 pounds of seed every 2 weeks. Since we have been in KS, I now how the pleasure of watching bright red cardinals out my window every morning.

But owning a bird. No thank you. As I read about birds to determine whether or not Cam should get one, I learned that they are messy, noisy and smelly.

And now we own a bird.

Many people have responded with this news by saying, "He finally wore you down." Or, "I knew he would talk you into it." Better yet, "You finally caved."

Nope. Cam earned that bird fair and square. He has been researching, reading, talking about, drawing, planning, saving...since April. Last April Steve and I realized that Cam has never really "stuck" with anything else for that long. He likes Legos but not enough to ask for them for his Birthday. He likes to skateboard but it's not something he does everyday. He enjoys drawing and playing on his ipod but can go weeks without either. A bird. That's a different story.

The bird idea has stuck with him for years. We decided to allow him the chance to earn his bird. The only thing I had on hand for "markers" were almonds. So, in went 250 almonds in a jar. We sat Cam down and explained to him that if he showed responsibility and earned 250 almonds, he could buy his bird. So, he had to earn the almonds and the money for the bird. He had to earn almonds through showing good behavior, responsibility and kindness. He could also have almonds taken away for making poor choices. He earned some. He lost some. In the end it took him 6 months to earn 250 almonds. He did little things like getting completely ready for school without being asked. Being kind and polite to kids that he did not know at the park. Not throwing fits when things didn't go his way. Helping with tasks around the house. You get the idea.

He also had to earn the money to buy the bird and all of the supplies. He actually earned the money several times over. Spent and earned. Earned and spent. Eventually Steve and I decided that we should buy the bird if he bought the supplies. It was our concession to him for our move to Kansas. We agreed that each boy would get something out of the deal. Cam asked if that could be his bird.

Last week he earned his last of the 250 almonds. You should have seen the look on his face! He was excited and overwhelmed. It was a long time coming. He earned that bird fair and square. He is also all set to take care of them bird himself. He will change out the food and water dishes each day and change the paper in the tray underneath. Once a week he will help me clean the cage. He considers all of this a privilege since he knows how hard he worked over the last 6 months. So the next time your kids ask you for something that you are not very fond of, consider making them earn it. It's a life lesson you won't regret.

Welcome to the Silva Family, Flint. We hope you like it here.