Improvements

Yesterday, Saturday, I worked. Tom was in charge. Last week he plugged the kids into the TV and the day ended with a huge fight. Today I came home to bliss. My kitchen was clean, the disaster that was my spare car was all cleaned out. Tom told me Trevor had mowed the neighbor's yard without pay, to earn brownie points.

Riley hadn't fared so well with the brownie points but he had done his share of work. Tom said it was a good day. The sun was out and the boys were on chores, not plugged into the TV. Tom looked happy and contented. He also kept telling me what a good day it had been. Got it. We both got it. He can manage those boys. He can get them to work , happily, without yelling or torture or punishment. They had fun and everyone was in a good mood when I got home.

Tom did say that our goal as parents of teenagers is to make them work so hard and be so miserable living at home that they want to move out. I don't want that to happen until senior year of high school is completed.

Today, my chore is to go through the office and clean it up so we can start our taxes. Guess I had better get started.