Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Land of Bribes

Like most families, we rely on bribery from time to time to get our children to cooperate. Here's a piece of gum for not waking the baby or a soft drink for helping the little brother wash his hands. Sugar works. That's one of the reasons we are so stingy with it. That and we want the chocolate all to ourselves.

Lately the bribery has extended to the grown-ups. Steve will go buy some ice cream if I will make the baby stop crying (if I knew how, he wouldn't be crying!). Tonight I bribed him with a "special treat" if he would just take screaming Bubble Boy outside.

We have begun a new chapter. How often will bribes imprint themselves on the pages of our lives? Will this be a satisfying, funny thing or an annoying, "wish we hadn't started that" thing?

I'd give five dollars to know.

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