Doing our part to stimulate the economy
Rigel and I were reading in bed the other night, and Kiyomi came barging in waving a can with a Post-It attached. She likes to do this, barge in while waving things around, so we didn't think much of it until she said this:
Okay, listen up, people. Here's a cuss jar. Everytime you swear, you have to pay! And I'll even be listening after I go to bed. I need to make some money.
We don't swear much around the kids, but they're tweens after all and it's been hard holding it in for the past 12 years. So maybe we've become a little lax lately and have let a few choice words slip here and there. Especially when things happen, really bad things, like the cat taking a big crap on our bed, or when I accidentally ironed my arm.
So I can understand a 10-year-old trying to seize the opportunity to make a little extra cash. But because Rigel and I are smartasses, this is what we said:
Me: I'm not putting one damn dime in that can.
Rigel: Stop bothering me with this shit.
Seriously, could you have resisted? We did fork over the 25¢ though.
I tried doing this once, just for some personal accountability... and to keep our preschoolers from picking up choice words. My sailor husband laughed at me. ~:-D
ReplyDeleteOkay, this one really did make me spit up my coffee.
ReplyDeleteLet us know if Kiyomi has enough to buy herself a car by the end of the week.
-annie
Whatever you do, don't let MY girls hear about this idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat the &*#@$ you just made me spit water all over my @# screen. (money dropping in can).
ReplyDeleteOkay that was hilarious -- I love you guys more just for your reponse to her suggestion. Maybe you could do one up from the "parental" side. For example, the most common respones they give when you ask them to clean their room; take the dishes sink; clean up after the cat or themselves. You could make a lot of money!
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha!!!
ReplyDeleteLove it. Here's a little story...true.
ReplyDeleteIt's 1976, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Cold, damp, etc. My friend, Madeleine, reported the following: Upon calling up to her daughter Saffron (yeah, I know) that it was tea time and that her friend, Leonie would have to go home now, she heard her six year old daughter (the very same Saffron) say the following (in a very posh English accent): "I'm afraid you're going to have to fuck off now Leonie. It's time for tea."
And a swear box appeared on the tea table.
At least the C word is free.
ReplyDeleteNo, I couldn't have resisted.
ReplyDeleteBut that "jar" looks more like a can to me. I think you should get the first 10 swears for free.
Thanks for the early morning laugh, damnit. That girl of yours is one resourceful cookie.
ReplyDeleteI love that she has decided that certain words are more valuable than others, but that said...I think she has devalued to B-word...and if it's SOB, it ought to be a quarter...just sayin.
ReplyDeleteI would be poor.
ReplyDeleteOh this is too funny. I should have that rule with my husband. Somehow he is the one having a harder time with the swearing rule.
ReplyDeleteI just came over from the ROFL awards, and I have to say, I love your family. And I effin' loved this post! (Is that going to cost me anything?)
ReplyDeletesuch a cute story! I myself have watched my 2 1/2 yr old son drop or spill something and mumble "oh s*&t!!" funny, to me at least.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely worth an ROFL! Industrious child you've got there. I'd be so damn broke.
ReplyDeleteI used to work for a doctor and him and his wife used to throw parties for the employees. When we'd go to their house? They'd whip out their cuss jar EVEN THOUGH THE KIDS WEREN'T HOME and seriously INSIST you put money into it if they heard you cuss. It was the strangest effing thing I've ever seen. I think they probably came out with a profit after the parties were over.
ReplyDeleteMy kids call it a dirty wordy jar!!!! When I am really mad I just throw a couple bucks in.
ReplyDeleteThat is too funny! It cracks me up that it isn't the swearing that bothers her, it's her need for money!
ReplyDeleteYou're funny. I would go broke almost immediately.
ReplyDeleteThat's too funny.
ReplyDeleteWe'd need a bigger jar!