jaime's Guestbook

"So, here's the deal," Lynda said as she sat in her favorite chair. "You, Joe and Jennie, each have a horse stall in the barn with only a pile of hay, a sleeping bag and a pillow," she started. "And you only have the clothes on your back and whatever school books that wasn't in your room, so you will have to figure things out as far as your grades are concerned," she said. "And I know all three of you are smart enough to figure out how to keep your grades up while doing this punishment. But anyway, if you would look over by the gun rack, you will see a white board with yours, Jennie and Joe's name on it," she continued. 

"Each day you keep your stall's clean, you will get a magnet, meaning you will get a dollar for that day," she said. "At the end of the week, you can start buying back your things with the money you have earned," she told him. "But....everything is marked with different prices, so for example, your bed is worth $250  while the pencil that was by your desk is worth a $1," she said. Lynda then cleared her throat and then continued. 

"If you choose not to spend any money for that week, I have a jar for each of you, in which you can put your $7 weekly allowence in. Those will stay in my safe until your ready to spend your money," she told him cool and calmly. "Though you are only geting $1 per day to keep your stall clean, does not mean you can't earn more by doing things around here without being told," she said. 

"Now for the bad part of this, if you don't keep your stall clean, you don't get your magnet for the day and in turn you don't earn your $1. You can also lose your magnet for every bad grade you bring home, cursing, being disrespectful  and any other bad behavior that I can think of, including lying," she added. "Since this has just started, I will let your litte lie about being in my room slide, which means I'm giving you clean start," she told him as she got up and went over and sat next to her son. 

"Jamie, I'm not doing this because I'm the worlds evilest mother, despite what Joe and Jennie think," she said. "I'm doing this because I want you to learn the value of money and to learn to take care of your things. Your father, stepfather and I all work very hard to make sure you guys have thing you want and need and to see it thrown around everywhere, isn't being respectful to how hard we work," she told him.  "Do you understand son?" she asked very soft now as she held his hand. 

"Well, for starters because your room is now off limits to you," she said. "I am tired of asking you, Jennie and Joe to clean your rooms, so I'm doing it myself and having it down my way," she told Jamie, seeing how nervous he was and knowing that her own son was lying to her. "Right now, it's being professionally cleaned and all your things are being packed up in boxes and loaded into a moving van," she said. 

"So, before I explain anything else to you," Lynda said. "You should know that I have had your credit cards and debit cards frozen," she told her son. "Plus I have had your cell phone turned off, pending the completion of your punishment," she told him. "Oh and if you think you are going to steal mine or your fathers, or even Ben's cards, you should know, I made it to where I have to approve any purchases that is being made with said cards," she said. 

"Now, since I know I saw you coming out of my room and I know you are lying to me," she told her son. "Why don't we go into the living room and I will explain what I have in miind for your messy room punishment while I think of yet another punishment for you," she said calmly, cooly and with a smile on her face. "And I want you to know son, I don't dish out these punishments because I like seeing you suffer, but to help you become the good person I know you can be," she added. 

"Hey sweetie," she asked wondering what he was up to. "How as school and baseball practice?" she asked him as she noticed the direction he was coming from. She folded her arms and went into strict mother mode. "Where you just in mine and your father's room?" she asked him as she waited for an answer and knowing that he was probably going to lie to get out of trouble.