June 12, 2010 at 4:28 pm
School just ended, so I took Tara out for our traditional, celebratory breakfast this morning — second year in a row we’ve done this. (Cari and Sean started this tradition many years ago.)
While we were driving to IHOP, I mentioned to Tara that this was a “celebratory” breakfast in honor of another great school year. She wasn’t sure what “celebratory” meant and asked me what it means. I told her, and she understood, then she came back with this:
“It sounds like a word for a labratory where they study celery.”
Indeed, it does.
May 20, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Last month, I suggested that April is the best time to visit the McGees. May is awfully nice, too. And our cherry trees bloom in June, so that’s also good.
Well, if you’re thinking about visiting, you’ll need to know how to get here. For that, we turn to Tara.
She was on the phone with a friend several days ago, trying to make plans for the friend to come visit and play for a few hours. Now, Tara is not very experienced on the phone just yet so it was funny to listen to her side of the conversation and try to imagine what her friend was saying.
After all the plans were settled, the friend needed to know how to get to our house. The friend lives right near school, about a half-mile from here. She must’ve asked for directions, and that’s when Tara furrowed her brows and thought for a few seconds. And then she offered these helpful instructions:
“You carefully curve a little. Then you go forward.”
So, there ya have it. Come visit us soon, won’t you? The directions are simple. 
August 6, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I don’t remember learning much about money as a kid. But I remember having it, because my dad started me working around the house and at his office building at around 10-11 years old. He paid me pretty well, and I spent it pretty well. Well, for a little while I did; when I decided I wanted to go to the prestigious, all-boys, private, Catholic high school — the one with a $2,000+ annual tuition — that’s when I learned to save money.
At Casa McGee, we’re not waiting for our son or daughter to tell us they want to go to some private school to start teaching them about money. It began tonight:
We’re using Dave Ramsey’s “Financial Peace Jr.” system, which basically works like this:
- The child has a list of jobs to do each week. Rather than “giving an allowance”, you’re paying the child for the work done. Just like real life, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid.
- If the child doesn’t do a certain job, does it poorly, or does something else s/he’s not allowed to do, the child gets “fined” and receives less money at the end of the week.
- The money earned gets divided into three categories: GIVE, SAVE, and SPEND. We’ve decided that our kids have to put 20% of their salary in the GIVE envelope, and 40% each in the SAVE and SPEND envelopes.
- The child can use the SPEND money, and some of the SAVE money, to purchase a desired item or experience. There’s a chart where s/he lists what the item is, how much it costs, how much s/he’ll put away each week toward the purchase, and how long it should take to have enough money.
I think this’ll be good. I’m hoping they learn financial discipline; the value of work; that money isn’t just for spending; that giving to the less fortunate is important; and that good money management has rewards.
The kids are excited. I think that’s half the battle right there.
March 9, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I’ve told Tara that she’s not allowed to date until she’s 25 years old, but that hasn’t stopped her from starting a collection of boyfriends at the ripe age of six. Every time I turn around, it seems she’s declaring how cute someone is, and how she’s in love with so-and-so.
So, a couple nights ago, when we had about 15 minutes to kill before dinner, I suggested she make a list of all her boyfriends. It took her two sides of a sheet of paper.
Side One
Here’s what it says, in case you couldn’t tell:
1. Jason Dolly, Actor (correct spelling: Jason Dolley)
2. Jake T. Austin | Actor (yes, she used a vertical pipe as a separator)
3. Harry Potter | character
4. Shia Labeouf, actor
And then she flipped the page over, skipped #5, and listed a few more.
Side Two
6. Simon Cowell, Judge
7. Joe, Kevin, Nick Jonas Brothers
Methinks I’m going to have my hands full in about 8-10 years.
October 16, 2006 at 11:15 pm
The subject of Christmas and gifts came up in our house yesterday. Some of the Sunday paper advertisements were spread out and Sean pointed out some game he thought was cool. I told him, as I always do at this time of year, to put it on his Christmas / birthday wish list.
Tara heard that and promptly told me about her list:
“Daddy, for Christmas I want every toy I don’t already have.”
Ha!!!
May 1, 2006 at 10:47 pm
As said by T in the bathroom tonight:
“Sometimes when I throw up out of my mouth, it’s like a waterfall.”
Not exactly the analogy I would’ve used, but okay…..
January 27, 2006 at 10:12 am
A conversation this morning….
Tara: “Dad, my ankle hurts.”
(no immediate reply)
Tara: “Dad, my ankle hurts!”
Me: “Tara, do you even know where your ankle is?”
Tara: “Where?”
January 24, 2006 at 11:44 pm
The family ate at Outback Steakhouse tonight. Being midweek, it was relatively quiet — a far cry from going on weekends when you have to wait 45 minutes for a table.
Anyway, as we’re waiting for dinner to arrive, T blurts out (loud enough for nearby diners to hear):
“My butt feels like it’s about to go poop!”
Ha!
(We’ll be working with her on a new phrase: “I need to use the bathroom.”)
December 4, 2005 at 10:24 pm
“President Daddy! President Daddy!”
That’s what Tara started telling this morning when I came out to the family room. Why? It was the first time she’d ever seen me wearing a tie.
Ten minutes later I asked her, “Why’d you call me ‘President Daddy’?”
“Because you had that long, hang down thing on.”
Which, apparently, only presidents wear!
November 15, 2005 at 10:15 pm
T (to her toys): “Shut up, Little People!”
Cari: “T, we don’t use those words in this house.”
T (thinks for a second….): “Can I use them when I’m four?”
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