money

way back in january, i won an ipad (so random. i "liked" our dentist on faceb@@k and won it in some contest!)
we had just given the kids an ipad for christmas.
we didn't need 2.

so, we sold it.
and had $400.

we decided we wanted to use it to teach the kids some lessons about money.

how to be wise with it when you have it....to give, safe and spend wisely.

so, 3 months later, we finally had the time to really talk/teach them through it.

pat took the older 3 kids to the bank and opened accounts for them.

we gave them each $20 from the ipad money and they were able to add any of their own money to that.
(they get $1.50/week. i still need to do a post about our new chore system! maybe once spring break is over...)
rebekah and joshua each have some money in their wallets. bailey never has any money. she gives it all away.

she said this recently, as she gave ALL her $1.50 to church, "i don't know WHY you would save your money. it's just SO much better give it away! i just like to give it all away! what good is it to save it in your wallet when you can give it someone??"

i mean, i don't really have an argument for that!

then we took some of the kids out for a VERY special dinner! to the melting pot!

{the criteria for who got to go was...if you can sit and ENJOY a meal you can come. pat's mom kindly watched the 2 that can't sit and enjoy a meal...yet...}

it was so fun.
honestly, it's been 10 months since i've enjoyed a meal with our family.
meals were never an issue before. we don't have picky eaters or anything.
but, lincoln especially, makes meals very stressful for me. and, unlike a lot of the initial behaviors that we worked on and are long gone, i don't think this one is going to end for awhile. being obsessed with all things to do with food are so ingrained in who he is, it's going to take a long time (or a miracle!) for healing to be made.

it was so nice to sit and talk. to ask questions. to listen. to look in their eyes and not have one eye on another child the whole time. to be engaged. to have the meal be about BEING TOGETHER and not who is done with their food and who needs seconds and if there is more hiding in the kitchen.

we came home and watched a movie. {they were up til past 10! crazytown for our kids!}

we also used the time at dinner to talk about GIVING some of the "ipad money". they each get to choose somewhere/someone to give money to. they have until friday to decide where that will be!

it's all a little forced and too thought through. but, i hope that it teaches them, even just a little bit, how to be wise with EVERYTHING that God blesses us with! and to use it for HIS glory above all!