When people are divided...

I am a HS teacher
I am a HS mom
I hate guns and violence
I am pro 2nd amendment

These things seem to contradict one another when each one should place me on one side or the other of a highly controversial debate.

When people are divided by a fence, I look for a gate.

I'm not going to say any more about this issue. We don't like to get political on this blog. What I want to talk about is COMPROMISE. It's time to start mending fences...

I've heard many outrageous theories and knee-jerk "solutions." I've also heard many thoughtful comments and sane conclusions from both sides - because I'm willing to LISTEN.

As a teacher, I have the privilege of observing every kind of person thrown together in one place. My number one goal is to help teens succeed through school and become better adults: able to deal with real problems when they enter the harsh world of reality.

That should be EVERYONE'S GOAL! The sad truth is, not enough adults are willing to become parents who need to teach children that life isn't always going to go their way and discipline them when they break the rules. Give kids perspective and life lessons and friends from every walk of life -- these things are so much more valuable than useless, dust-collecting trophies.

We need to LET THEM FAIL sometimes and show them how to LEARN FROM IT! They need to be taught how to listen to someone with a different opinion and have a civil discussion rather than fight or resort to violence!

I could go on, but like I said, I don't want to incite a controversial war... My final thoughts: Every problem of this world has to start somewhere and the solution can usually be found in the same place - IN THE HOME.

Thanks for listening. Hope you have a positive week!

Charts - Put them to work! #mondaymotivation

Have you noticed a decline of work ethic in the service industry lately? The last few times we've been out to eat or shop, there seems to be this unfriendly, put-upon attitude pervading the experience. Maybe it's just me.

Don't get me wrong, some of the younger generation are completely gung-ho workers and innovators, but others obviously don't want to be there or don't know what they're doing, so they give up trying. It makes me wonder if maybe some parents are so busy that they aren't making their kids do chores around the house which instill a sense of responsibility and a value and pride for getting work done. I know sometimes it's easier to do the chores yourself rather than monitor the kids to make sure it gets done right, buh-lieve me! But the time and aggravation are worth it in the long run. Here are a couple of my Lazy Housewife-isms...

Do a kid's chore, you get a lazy adult. Teach a kid a chore, you get a productive adult.

A little whining now equals a lot of thanks later.

So, to make assigning and keeping track of chores easier (which is what the Lazy Housewife does) I have a chart (I <3 charts!)

This first one is what I use. The top three chores rotate monthly. I mark a tally when they do a chore or enter an amount of money for specialty chores.

In the bottom section, I subtract any purchases they make from their allowance. At the end of a quarter, I add everything up and deposit most of what they make into savings, but also give them some spending money. It's visual and shows them the value of working and saving money if they want something big like cool new shoes. Sometimes they pool together for a new video game. I've been using this system for years with only minor adjustments.

For an added amount of responsibility, you could have them tally their chores themselves and even total up the money.

Here's a blank that's more versatile. You can let me know if you'd like the Excel file (makes totaling that much easier, if you know Excel) I know there are other templates out there online, too.

I know helping contribute to my family as a kid made me a better person - though I sure didn't know it at the time and hated my chores. But as I got older, I didn't mind so much and now I miss those times setting the table or doing dishes in the kitchen with my mom.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on chores & allowance. There's plenty of ways to work it!
Have a great week!

GPOB - Dress-up Time!

So excited to have CHRISTINE RAINS guest post with us this week! She's sharing some economical tips from her cute geeky point of view!

GEEK PARENTING ON A BUDGET – DRESS UP TIME!

Every kid loves to play dress up and pretend they're someone or something else. As a geek parent, this is one of my favorite things to do with my little geek. We pretend to be superheroes, robots, and talking cats.

Costumes are expensive, though. Never mind all the special props like a sonic screwdriver or Green Lantern's lantern. I'm jealous of those geek parents who can afford to buy the awesome outfits so the whole family can be the crew of Serenity or the Power Rangers. And those clever nerds were are talented enough to make spectacular costumes.

Every time I try to sew something, I end up with bandages on all my fingers. We also live on a budget. There are still tons of ways to have dress up fun. Here are a few tips:

1. Post-Halloween sales. Costumes, make-up, and accessories all on sale for 50%. And if you wait a week, it'll be 75% to 80% off. I stock up on the face paint because my little geek loves to pretend he's different animals. Children's costumes do sell out fast, but no worries. Buy adult ones and cut them to fit the kids.

2. Recyclables are your friend. You might only see trash, but through a child's eyes, an empty tissue box can be turned into a treasure chest and the paper towel roll into a telescope. One of my favorite recyclable-made accessories is a jet pack. Grab two 2 liter plastic bottles and tape them together. Have your little geek decorate them and use construction paper to make straps. Then blast off!

3. Second-hand clothes. Whether you get them at a yard sale, a thrift store, or from the back of your closet, don't underestimate the value of these old duds. Adult size button-up shirts make excellent robes. Black for a Hogwarts student and white for White Mage from Final Fantasy. Big t-shirts can be tied around the waist with ribbon or string to make them tunics for knights in training.

What costumes have you made on a budget?

Christine Rains is a writer and geek mom. She is married to her nerdy best friend, and they have one adorable little geek. All of them are too smart for their own good, even their cat who knows how to flush the toilet. Christine has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood but make her a great Jeopardy player. She has one novel and several short stories and novellas published. You can visit her website here.