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Kids and Waste
I have a problem with my kids I cant seem to find a solution too. Its no suprise that with me not working and DH not working we are living on a shoestring budget these days. The problem is my kids waste. They use way way to much TP they pour out shampoos playing with them use up all the hand soap. If it is in the bathroom and is a conumable product they waste it. I have made them clean up thier mess,put them in time out, showed them how much tp to use, talked and yelled about how when they waste these things and I have to buy them again its less money for us to do fun stuff. They are 6,5, and 4. I cant lock them out of the bathroom and they are way to smart for baby saftey locks on cabinets to even save the shampoo and conditioners. I cant lock away the TP or lock them out of the bathroom. Ive tried an off limits basket, fruitless effort. I told them next time I was takikng the money to replace it out of thier piggy bank but I think that may be too harsh. Any ideas to teach them the importance of not wasting these things? I already take them shopping and we look at prices and talk about how much stuff cost but they have no idea about the ups and downs of our family income and I dont think they should worry about it at thier ages.
Comments
Why not this?
By them each their own bottle of shampoo and conditioner, give them their roll of Tp and then tell them how long it must last...if the run out they will need to borrow from one another and if someone chooses not to lend then so be it. Now I would keep some extra TP available--without their knowledge--in case the inevitable happens, but shampoos and conditioners let them suffer some consequence...it won't hurt them. And I would take some coins from their piggy banks if they are deliberate and testing---they don't don't have to know if you took the full amount of the replacement cost or just a few coins to make a point (you can always put it back later when they are not looking.)
With the many kids that I have, I have had to keep all spares of toilettries and all lunch and breakfast non perishables locked in an upstairs closet to be distributed daily for years...it's all I could do considering I spent about $1,200.00 a month for food to begin with.
Just the other day I got back from the market and decided to set a test to see if we had outgrown this need. I set out a package of cookies at 4:00 and by 5:45 the entire package was gone and only 4 of the kids were home. They exhibit no self control and no curtousy...so again I will have to hide and distribute the snacks or go broke trying to supply and appease each and everyone of them.
Of course my step kids think I am an orge for this, but it's just a way to try and stay in the black rather then the red.
good luck!
Shawna
Mother to seven
Author of Intimate Reflections
www.Xlibris.com/IntimateReflections
What Shawna said
Absolutely.
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"If you want your children to be bright, read them fairytales-- if you want them to be brilliant, read them even more fairytales" Albert Einstein
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