Job Lists for Kids

Incentives & Ulterior Motives

The struggles and frustrations of coping with adult ADD are very real.  Step into my house, and you will immediately see what I mean.  If you took the time to follow the preceding link, you may have read the checklist and thought each of the items fits.  That may be true, but in those of us with ADD, the occurrences and severity is magnified tremendously – sometimes to a debilitating degree!

As I came down the stairs this morning to make my coffee, once again I was immediately irritated by the condition of my kitchen.  When things have to be cleaned up or moved before I can get to the coffee maker or get the coffee pot under the faucet, it really detracts from my morning beauty. <grin>

So today I shoved everything out of my way and got that coffee started.  While the coffee brewed, I unloaded the dishwasher, so I could then unload the sink.  I am not without blame by any stretch, and I admit that.  Half of the table clutter that I tackled next was mine.  I am notorious for piles!  I stopped at the table this time, though.

From there, I grabbed my cup of coffee and headed for my laptop to create job lists.  There are daily and weekly expectations for everyone, as there should be in every house.  These are things that I will not pay them to do.  Then there are the job lists, which include amounts paid for each task on the list.  There is a list for the kitchen, the lower level (family room & bathroom), and the main level (dining room & living room).  There is one amount paid if the tasks are done on Friday or Saturday, and half the amount is paid if the tasks are done on Sunday or later.  The hope here is to create an incentive not only to pitch in and help but also to get the work done early in case we have company.  I will give them the opportunity to do the work on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday is fair game.  If I get to it first, my initials go by the task thereby eliminating the chance for them to earn the money for that task!

The ulterior motive here is for them to realize why I get so cranky when doing housework.  I believe this is already working because as the girls started working in the kitchen, I could hear them getting huffy with each other!  YES!

I love it when my brain quiets down enough to allow me to get creative like this!

High School Dance – More than Dirty Dancing

Letter to the Principal and Superintendent

I am shocked and dismayed by what I just learned goes on in the middle of the dance floor at high school dances.  I trust I don’t need to go into details, and you understand exactly what I’m referring to.  If not, please see this video clip.

I asked my son if he knew about this, and he (without hesitation) said, “Yeah, I know.”  He told me the teachers try to stop it, but they can’t get to the middle.  To summarize our conversation, he seemed to believe that attempts to stop this behavior are not strenuous enough for fear of losing dance attendance, which means less money for the school.  I’m sure that is not the case, but for it to appear that way to a teenager is equally unacceptable.  This is not the message I want my daughters to receive.

What will be done to ensure this will not continue to happen?  Is the lack of enforcement due to fear of being sued?  If that’s what it comes down to in order to get the message out that such behavior will not, under any uncertain terms, be tolerated, then I should think that would be a risk worth taking.

It’s Been a Long Day – Rosi Golan

This about sums it up…

I only planned on working a few hours today.  Since this week included a holiday and 4 hours of sick time used for eye exams for Josh and myself, I won’t be receiving overtime pay for the time I worked, but it’s still pay regardless.  I don’t know about every state, but in Colorado, you have to actually work more than 40 hours in one week to receive overtime for anything beyond that.  I ended up working just shy of a full eight hours today anyway, and my last case took over an hour to work through.  Ay, ay ay!  There certainly are some colorful birds in this world!  That’s all I’m sayin’ about that!

I had thought about heading out to Colorado Mills to play miniature golf at their indoor, black light lit course (Putting Edge), but everyone else was being very lazy.  Then it started raining and raining and raining, and it’s still raining.  So I logged into my Pandora account and listened to Coffeehouse music while I worked.  I heard the song above after clocking out, and it just resonated with me.

Maybe we’ll just go out for dinner tonight.  I checked Fandango for movies, and there’s nothing the whole family can see.  There are a lot of R-rated movies out right now!  So I’m thinking a late dinner after the crowds thin, but first a stop at Walmart to look for Coconut M&Ms.  I am determined to find these glorious sweets!

College Immediately after High School?

Depends on Your Career Goals

Since two of my kids are at the age where they could be heading off to college, I’m more deeply touched when reading blogs and social network site updates about my friend’s kids leaving the nest to start their college life on campus.  I don’t know how many of those kids are certain about the careers they want to pursue and how many are using their freshman year to get the prerequisites out of the way while they try to decide.  I’m guessing it may be fair to assume it’s about a 50/50 split.  I found an article on Campus Grotto to be interesting.

No, my boys are not headed off to college this week.  They aren’t tossing their stuff in a dorm room and settling in.  Unfortunately, they couldn’t even if they had wanted to.  You see, some kids find learning very difficult.  What comes easily to most is a real struggle for others.  When this happens, it’s sad that these kids essentially give up – especially on subjects that aren’t necessary for their career choice.  When this happens, grades plummet, ultimately leaving the students without enough credits to graduate with their class.  Enter the GED!

Sadly for many, another reason for not heading off to college immediately after graduating is the cost.  Sure there are student loans, and student loans are viewed as “good debt”, but it is debt just the same.  Some simply can afford it due to already existing debt.  Despite what the government thinks based on the income of the prospective student’s parents alone, that income-debt ratio is the killer!  We make too much money in the eyes of the government to qualify for any grants.  The bottom line, without taking out a Plus Loan as parents for one of our boys alone was a monthly payment of more than half our mortgage payment!  For this reason, he decided to work more first to save money.

The typical four-year college plan doesn’t fit either of our boys’ career goals.  We still have three years before our first daughter has this decision to make, but with her current goal of Interior Designer, the four-year plan will be the way for her.  If she wanted to settle for Interior Decorator, a two-year plan would probably suffice.  The boys are very different – one is going for automotive technology, and the other is going for computer technology.  Four years of history, science, and literature would be useless for them.

So, while I am concerned that a gap between high school and college education could have a detrimental effect on my boys, I do have to fluff my mother hen feathers in their defense when I feel their motives are under attack.  I recently heard something to the effect of, “So when’s that boy of yours going to get his GED and continue his education?”  He was just as much serious as he was joking, and I felt my feathers starting to puff out.  I understand his concern since my son is dating his daughter, but it’s also a sensitive subject.  He may have it set in his mind that there’s only one way to achieve your career goals, and that’s fine if it worked for him.  There needs to be a mutual respect for the different paths chosen, though.

Senior Pictures – Unvelievable Deal!

ATTENTION: Seniors and friends & family of seniors…..

If you contact me before July 11th to schedule a one-hour photo shoot, I will waive the session fee! That’s right! Receive a one-hour photo session (one location) for FREE if you contact me before JULY 11th to schedule!

NOTE: Additional time can be scheduled beyond the one-hour session at a rate of $25 per half hour.

As always, your photos will be available to order from an online gallery within one week. I will also give you a CD with the photo of your choice to be used in your high school yearbook.

So spread the word and share my site with any seniors you know!

HomeAway (VRBO.com Parent Company) Press Release

Vacation Rentals Growing in Popularity Among Travelers Looking for Better Value

New HomeAway Report Reveals Travelers Choosing Vacation Rentals for More Family Vacations, Weekend Getaways and Even Business Trips

Story Highlights:

· Travelers are considering vacation rentals for everything from weekend getaways (65 percent) to business trips (20 percent)
· 66 percent of vacation rental property owners have offered special deals this year
· One in five owners new to the vacation rental market cited economic conditions as the reason why they started renting out their vacation home

AUSTIN, TEXAS, May 21, 2009 – Vacation rental homes and condominiums are becoming even more attractive to consumers looking for greater value from their travel dollar, according to HomeAway – the world’s leading online vacation rental marketplace – which today released the first edition of its new quarterly “HomeAway Vacation Rental Marketplace Report.”

According to the report, approximately 66 percent of vacation rental property owners are offering or have offered special deals or incentives at some point this year in response to the current economic climate.

· 27% discount rental rates by a specific dollar amount
· 24% offer a set percent off the normal rental rate
· 16% offer a free night with the purchase of a specific number of nights
· 15% offer free cleaning services
· 11% do not require a minimum stay
· 7% offer a complimentary product or service, such as tickets to a local attraction

While travelers may come across some unique deals this summer including pre-arrival grocery shopping services and complimentary meals or gift  askets upon arrival, 34 percent of  owners surveyed did not offer special deals or incentives. By way of explanation, one of those owners said, “I didn’t offer anything but a great house, in a great location, at a very reasonable price.”

“With or without deals or special offers, there is an underlying value to vacation rentals,” said Mike Butler, chief commercial officer of HomeAway.  Vacation rental homes enable you to rent a whole home for less than the cost of a hotel room and then even stretch your travel budget further by taking advantage of the full kitchens and extra amenities.”

Looking to a Vacation Home for Extra Income

While a vacation rental affords travelers many benefits, it can also provide a steady stream of revenue for the owners. In fact, Butler said more and  ore owners are renting out their properties to generate extra income. The HomeAway report found that the economy played an important role among owners who began to rent their vacation homes to travelers in the past 12 months.  One in five owners (21 percent) new to the vacation rental market  ited economic conditions, including the need to generate additional income, a recent job loss, the inability to sell the home or the risk of foreclosure,  as the reason why they started renting out their vacation home. In addition to citing economic conditions as a factor, many owners new to renting their vacation homes are entering the market to generate a profit.

“The research suggests that in the past, many second home owners entered the rental market with a desire to cover all their expenses, but now listing their properties to cover expenses is an economic necessity,” said Butler.

About HomeAway, Inc.

HomeAway is the worldwide leader of online vacation rentals, representing nearly 400,000 vacation rental home listings across more than 120 countries. The company has contributed significantly to the popularity of the vacation rental industry, making it easier than ever for both owners to advertise and profit from their second homes and for millions of travelers to find the perfect vacation rental. The HomeAway sites include HomeAway.com, VRBO.com, VacationRentals.com, Holiday-Rentals.co.uk, OwnersDirect.co.uk, FeWodirekt. de, Abritel.fr and Homelidays.com.

HomeAway is funded by Austin Ventures, Institutional Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Technology Crossover Ventures and Trident Capital. The company is based in Austin, Texas and has offices in London and Ashtead in England; Kassel, Germany; and Marseille and Paris, France.

Shopping

Have I ever mentioned how much I loathe shopping? If I could spend as much as I wanted, I might like it a little, but that’s just part of the issue. I don’t mind shopping the discount stores to get around the prices. I couldn’t even tell you what the popular labels are these days, and frankly couldn’t care less! However, I do care about style and still won’t go out looking like Steve Erkel’s long lost cousin. Luckily, dressing with some sense of fashion doesn’t have to come at a high cost if you know where to look. So far, my boys have never revered popular labels as important, and my girls are following the same path as well. I must be doing something right there!

Aside from the absolutely insane prices of clothes these days, almost nothing seems to fit right. Of course, it doesn’t help that I’m extremely picky about the way things fit. Having long legs and a short torso doesn’t help either. Jeans either reveal things that should not be revealed at this stage of the game or they come up so high that the waistband can be used as an underwire! And shirts… I now realize that the “grandma arms” have arrived. I tried on a breezy cotton short-sleeved shirt in a small, which fit my body nicely. However, I thought I might have to amputate my arms to get out of the darn thing! I then tried it on in a medium. The arms were perfect, but when I raised my arms, the shirt was so wide, it looked like a maternity shirt. (Despite some misunderstandings or miscommunications somewhere, I am not, nor will I ever again be, pregnant. )

So mall crawls for us are for quirky boutique purchases and the food court only. Ali and I walked into Gap yesterday and walked back out after seeing the price of a pair of jean shorts (not the bootie shorts either). For about one third of a whole pair of jeans, they wanted $49.50! I’m sorry, if you are spending this amount of money on about 1.5 yards of denim and some notions, you are seriously due for a psychiatric evaluation! We went to Old Navy next where the prices were much better, but they only have even sizes. The zero was too tight, and the 2 was too loose. Off to JCPenney, where more disappointment set in. For a store that had such a huge selection of jeans in the winter, their denim selection for spring/summer is pathetic. We did find one pair of denim shorts in a size 1 that fit, though. Final price? Just $14.50! Next stop: Target, Kohls, & Marshall’s (in that order).

The final part of shopping that I don’t care for is the amount of time it takes. Shopping by myself isn’t as bad because I know exactly what I want and how I want it to fit. Miranda would buy everything, but Ali is picky like me. Waiting on her decisions sometimes is exhausting, but I do understand her frustrations.

Hopefully today will bring better results. There may be a “Shopping – Part II” to follow.

Photography – Family, High School Seniors, Weddings

See my website: Sheila Karner Photography

Christmas 2008

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hydrochloric Acid Spill at High School

This chemical spill happened at my kids’ high school this afternoon.  Josh was already home since he had last period off today, and Jason was attending his fourth period class at another high school.  Ali walked right by the spill on the edge of the sidewalk, though.  None of it touched her, but the fumes did make her cough quite a bit.  She called me immediately from outside the school because her bus wasn’t there yet, and there were fire trucks and other emergency vehicles arriving.  There was nothing I could do because I was at least 30 minutes away at the office for a training meeting.  So I called Jason, but he had to work right after school.  Ali ended up getting a ride with a friend.  She washed her clothes and showered when she got home to be safe, and she says there’s no burning in her nose or throat.  She had already been coughing and a little hoarse from a cold.  All who went to the ER today were released, so I’m not too concerned.  I’ll check with her again when she wakes up tomorrow, but I’m sure she’s fine.