Load Shedding for a cause

After much deliberation, I had decided that it was time to sit down with hubby and have a heart to heart. Try as I might, I cannot admit to being a descendant of the planet Krypton, was not breathed life into by a mysterious ancient Egyptian cat bearing ancient and amazing powers nor have I been bitten by a radioactive spider bearing super human talents or thankfully any other type of spider, that I am aware of any way.
Basically this puts me, ashamedly, into the human category, and not, as I have been recently made aware, in the super human category, but more into the less than super human category.

Keeping on top of things has put me well and truly underneath them, somewhere under the world and occasionally under so much turf that breathing is often a struggle. As a last resort and just before I am faced with the last shovel of turf that is sealed with a large imposing marble stone (yes I feel like I'm dying...drama queen!), I faced hubby and negotiated some load shedding of my own.

To admit to him that I have failed at my duties was not an easy task but it had to be done. I had three solutions to my three "loads" and he was to choose which "load shedding" scheme he was prepared to support.

It was quite simple really, I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner. My three jobs are; 1. Full time Mother, 2. Full time housekeeper, 3. Part/full time secretary and administrator to my husbands business.
My proposals were; 1. Get rid of the kids, 2. Hire a bookkeeper and skivvy or 3. Hire someone to help tidy the house. Yes, I know number 1 is pretty harsh but it seemed a plausible enough option at the time.......O.K. seriously....... Please don't tell him, I never had any intention of getting rid of the kids (completely) I just HAD to add it in for effect!

Negotiations went famously in my favour and today(and in future, 3 times a week) was my first load shedding day, I shed some of my housework load on to a lovely lady recommended by a friend. For the first time I felt lighter, as though someone was removing the "dirt" (literally) and allowing me some space to breath again, I swear I felt a little sunshine on my face (even on this over cast day). I was a little afraid to let her go home, my life line, the one who gave me a little more space to actually inhale and exhale today. Thank you.

My three jobs now can be categorised as follows; 1. Still a full time Mother, 2. Part time housekeeper and 3. Part/full time skivvy/secretary with benefits. Feels better already.

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT..........FEELS GOOD doesn't it?

Bribery and Corruption aka Discipline

Chores in our house is just that, dreary mundane chores; nobody likes to do them, it is just a part of life, it is something that at some point we just have to knuckle down and do. I ask myself the question, why do *I* have to do it all? My answer is...well...I don't, and so begins the training of a new extra mural activity in our house...the chores.

Toys, toys and more toys litter the garden from one end to the other and I have spent a better part of the last three days asking the kids to pack them away. I get some sideways looks (what is it with people constantly giving me sideways looks?), these kids look at me as though I am high on some illegal substance. I ask nicely. I ask not so nicely. I plead. I beg. I turn into one of the Witches of Eastwick, the most evil one. That works for a few seconds and in my moment of ire I find it somewhat amusing watching them scurry around quickly doing what is asked of them as though their very life hangs in the balance, which at that time, probably does. I found a tactic that works, evil witch that rants and raves and screams her head off; it hurts the throat a bit but it works. Mr. Hubby does not agree with this method of disciplining and to be honest it does become quite exhausting being the Sergeant Major all the time. "What do you suggest, hubby dear?" I ask rather sarcastically, "I can ask them a million and two times or I can scream my head off once, maybe twice if I forgot to add in the evil eye the first time and it gets done." Silence is his reply.

Yesterday I found a new method..wahaha...I ...ssshhh...bribe. No screaming. No shouting. Bribery, specifically money. (flashbacks of a younger less experienced *me* who swore that she would never resort to any of the methods I now use, haunt me) Standing outside I remind the kiddies that the garden service is due tomorrow and there are still toys lying all over the place. The kids giggle with delight under their little breaths, they know Mom would never let the weed cutters and lawn mowers damage their precious goods. Evil witch returns. If they are not picked up I will let the lawn mowers mow right over them; there's that sideways look again. "REALLY Mom? " pipes up Madam fluff, quite distressed at the thought. "Really." They call my bluff. OK. I can handle this, new twist, if you pick up all your toys I will give you R5 for cake sale on Friday. Madam Fluff is gone. She scurries around outside with Snuggle Bug in tow, shadowing her every move with the toy box. She then proceeds to start cleaning inside bragging to her big brother of her pending riches. Naturally he wants in on the deal. I explain once again that I will reward him financially for the effort he put into cleaning the effort he put into making the mess in the first place. "So Mom, how much will you give me if I do this and how much for that?" Well I'll be damned, little Madam Fluff is quite happy to clean up outside and practically most if inside too, for R5, while Kade wants a value to every little things he picks up. I calm myself by assuring the beast in me about to expose itself that his is simply a very clever little entrepreneur in the making, that's all. Then I take a deep breath and count to ten....thousand.

This method of "discipline" I know, will only work for a short time, probably close to the time that I run out of money. They are now practically demanding payment for every thing that they do. Kade did actually have the audacity to ask me if there was any financial rewards for doing his homework...eerrr...no, as in HELL NO. So, any ideas or non violent methods of bribery and corruption, sorry, discipline are most welcome indeed.