I Survived Week One of Grounding

How many of you like the game show "I Survived A Japanese Game Show"? The show is one of my least favorite shows. We have our own little survival game going on here at Butler Manor. Most of you know why, if you've missed out, please help yourself and read this weeks posts.

Name of the Game: I SURVIVED WEEK ONE OF GROUNDING

Some of you have voiced your opinions about my grounding MM for lying. I was even called a Fascist once. Some of the comments were sent straight to the trash, others meant a lot to me and gave me the support I needed.

What we have learned this week.

- Teens need a specific list of chores with every detail of the job written out in clear english AND it must have their name at the top or they are confused as to who does the work.
- "Sweep the floor" is not a good description. You must list each step clearly...pick up the broom that is leaning against the wall in the kitchen right beside the microwave. It has a yellow handle and bristles on it. Remove the dust pan that clips to the broom. Be brave, you can do this. Now, take the broom in your hands, oops, I forgot, lay the dust pan down so you can use both of your hands, move the broom, back and forth, touching the floor with the bristle end of the broom. Good girl. Now put the dust pan on the floor and sweep the trash and dust into the pan and empty it in the trash can, you know, the big blue thing with the white trash bag in it.

Is that Specific enough for you? Maybe she said

- Mary Margaret does not like to clean toilets. Her list Thursday went something like this...
Clean the toilet in the bathroom. Get the sponge. Put the Soft Scrub on the Sponge. Now scrub the toilet.
Mop the Bathroom floor. You will have to pick up the rug, trash can, magazines, and scale to mop the floor.

When I got home, with my eagle eye, I noticed right off that the magazines were just as I left them. The bobby pin was still on the floor, exactly where I left it this morning. The toilet was not clean AND she mopped only right in the door way of the bathroom.

I ask her to get her cleaning stuff so she can do it again. She is not happy. Well, neither am I. I left her a task and I expected her to complete it and complete it like I like it done. She knows how, this ain't her first bathroom rodeo. She takes the sponge, drops it on the seat of the toilet and puts her pointer finger barely on the sponge and moves it around with her finger, CAUSE she doesn't want to touch the gross toilet and any way she didn't ASK to clean the toilet and you were not specific about how to clean the toilet.

Oh Really?