Lucy has never been super motivated by our chore/job/money system dealio.  (see HERE and HERE)

She actually does her jobs and makes her bed just so every morning, but she doesn’t mark of the chart.  I guess she hasn’t been too motivated to earn money until last week when the book fair rolled around.

She had two books she was dying to purchase so that girl finally got busy.

(Our printer broke so we were improvising a little up there.)

Yay, right?

Except that she used her favorite Sharpie marker to mark off those jobs of hers (she cannot get enough of Sharpie markers)

So when I took her chart off this is how the freshly re-painted wall looked:

Oh boy, you win some and you lose some right?  Ha.

Lucy clutched that new book she was able to buy with her own hard-earned cash close to her heart.

And she read it all in a day.

Which makes me feel ok about a little permanent marker on the walls.

In other news, watch this funny but full-of-very-wise-advice parenting video my parents made below.  I feel so strongly about this stuff (the whole “Talk to Your Kids about Sex” is so important in my book…see HERE and HERE.):

We haven’t done “the talk” with Lucy yet…she’s for sure not ready, but those talks with all four of our older kids when they were eight have proved to be pretty great seed for healthy conversations as the years have gone by.

Lots of other videos about all kinds of parenting things on that “Eyres on the Road” YouTube channel (there are some funny home movies on there too…just re-watched the Oprah segment…funny times I tell you).  You can now get these as a podcast on any podcast app just by searching for “Eyres on the Road.”

Enjoy!

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20 Comments

  1. That was the cutest little video ever – I can see why you like them so much:) I don't have any 8 year olds yet, but I'm going to definitely pencil this in my brain for that age. If for some reason we don't want to with a particular child right at 8, then no later than 10 years old I say. Thanks for sharing the video!

  2. haha oh I love your parents…i wish i knew them in person haha! my oldest is 5 so I can prep my husband and myself for that talk in 3 years but, what they said it true, for me at least. my parents talked to me about sex when I was 7 and having that "vision" in my head really helped keep me reluctant to participate in things like that all through high school when many of my friends were experimenting. it is so much better for a child's introduction to sex to be given by loving parents and not something they hear about on the bus.
    we are restarting our job charts tonight…i can't ever seem to keep up with them and my kids aren't too motivated my money yet. gotta rethink that a little!
    thanks for sharing 😉

  3. I don't agree with paying children for making up their bed and keeping their room picked up and clean, or for other household chores. That's what people who live in a household do. Something more, like maybe cutting the grass, washing the cars, etc – maybe – but IMO it teaches a bigger lesson when they do it for nothing. Since that's what people who live in a home do – keep it clean and neat. JMHO.

    1. We have jobs because you live here, and paid jobs too.. but I think you have to look at each kid and see what they can do .. I know I have a child who we have to do some things differently with than our other children.. I'm sure this is the same as lucy x

  4. You have a great system with the chores and money in your family. I can see it is working well.
    My kids love charts too. I would probably just take a paint brush to the wall and paint right over those little marks! Ha ha, every now and then I go down the hallway and just swipe the stubborn spots with paint. 🙂
    Your parents have great advise with teaching kids about the birds and the bees. I have used this approach with my kids thanks to them! We continue to have follow up talks and it just gets easier and clearer I think.

  5. My oldest is almost 8, but I bought the book your parents wrote about sex a few years ago, ha! We are so ready for the talk! We actually had to spill a few things early, because of something he heard in school (FIRST GRADE – are you kidding me?!?!) Anyway, I love your parents teachings!

  6. It is like you were reading my mind with this post! My oldest will be 8 in June (how did that happen so fast). I have been reading your blog for awhile so I know that is the magic age. I am thinking it is going to be more towards the end of 8 rather than the beginning but definitely before 4th grade. I was wondering what you were going to do about Lucy and the talk, I think I remembered you saying you delayed with Elle. I am nervous about choosing the "right" time, and appreciate all you and your parents' wisdom!

  7. My husband and I are getting ready to have this same talk with our daughter. I did go to your parents website and went through the dialogue they had there. In the dialogue is says to hand them (your child) the book and as they read it, discuss the things in there. I was wondering what book you would recommend? There are so many out there. =0
    Thanks so much!

  8. Not to take away from your parents book, because it's fantastic, but I just heard a speaker on Saturday named Dina Alexander who has some great ideas and books on how to teach your kids about sex. She has it broken down into ages, 3-7, 8-11 and teen. It's all very age appropriate and builds upon each other. She was dynamic, upfront and fantastic! Her main point is to talk about it regularly, not just a one time "event", be positive and happy and most of all let there be a lot of love any time you talk about it.

  9. Shawni – coming out of anonymity to say that I am praying for your sister…have loved both of your blogs for years.

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