Comments on: The Opposite of Writer’s Block http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/ Stocks, Options, Currencies and One Big Dummy Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:44:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Will http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3403 Will Thu, 06 Sep 2007 03:00:09 +0000 http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3403 iio - no credit, and I'm already doing my best to brainwash into them an aversion to credit card debt, which I consider to be the tool which keeps most of present-day America enslaved, whether they realize it or not. I require that the girls earn their funny money first, then "buy" privileges with it. So if the account balance is zero, no mall, no MySpace, etc... they have to do some homework, take out the trash, practice their clarinet/flute, or whatever it takes to earn some funny money. They are not "entitled" to any of those extraneous things, only to food, shelter and my undying love. iio - no credit, and I’m already doing my best to brainwash into them an aversion to credit card debt, which I consider to be the tool which keeps most of present-day America enslaved, whether they realize it or not.

I require that the girls earn their funny money first, then “buy” privileges with it. So if the account balance is zero, no mall, no MySpace, etc… they have to do some homework, take out the trash, practice their clarinet/flute, or whatever it takes to earn some funny money. They are not “entitled” to any of those extraneous things, only to food, shelter and my undying love.

]]> By: Will http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3402 Will Thu, 06 Sep 2007 02:55:29 +0000 http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3402 DT - thanks, oh and you just reminded me... speaking of nymphos, I've gotta go over to Guy Kawasaki's site and add a "You Know You're Old When..." comment for him. Hint: "Wow! What a coincidence! That's the year I was BORN!" In my experience, the age where kids truly begin to grasp concepts like "value" and "accountability" and especially "delayed gratification" (some 50 year-olds still don't) is around 11 or 12 years old. The funny money thing doesn't seem to work much earlier, because they don't really "get it". Younger kids are all about the immediate moment, which is why "Go to sleep now or you won't get such-and-such tomorrow" is totally meaningless to them when they're young. The action and the reward/punishment attached to it have to be within the same 5-minute window, give or take. But by 14 or so, funny money rules!! DT - thanks, oh and you just reminded me… speaking of nymphos, I’ve gotta go over to Guy Kawasaki’s site and add a “You Know You’re Old When…” comment for him. Hint: “Wow! What a coincidence! That’s the year I was BORN!”

In my experience, the age where kids truly begin to grasp concepts like “value” and “accountability” and especially “delayed gratification” (some 50 year-olds still don’t) is around 11 or 12 years old. The funny money thing doesn’t seem to work much earlier, because they don’t really “get it”. Younger kids are all about the immediate moment, which is why “Go to sleep now or you won’t get such-and-such tomorrow” is totally meaningless to them when they’re young. The action and the reward/punishment attached to it have to be within the same 5-minute window, give or take.

But by 14 or so, funny money rules!!

]]> By: iio http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3399 iio Wed, 05 Sep 2007 23:54:18 +0000 http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3399 interesting idea. do you take credit or is it purely cash? interesting idea. do you take credit or is it purely cash?

]]> By: Dinosaur Trader http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3395 Dinosaur Trader Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:30:00 +0000 http://dummyspots.com/2007/09/the-opposite-of-writers-block/#comment-3395 Will, Great post! Incidentally, I've had the same problem with nymphomaniacs eating into my time. As for the parenting, I think your "funny money" idea is a good one. Since my daughter is only 2.5, it will be some time before I have to be so creative. However, I will share the idea with my sister who has two young boys. Thanks a lot, hope all is well, -DT Will,

Great post! Incidentally, I’ve had the same problem with nymphomaniacs eating into my time.

As for the parenting, I think your “funny money” idea is a good one. Since my daughter is only 2.5, it will be some time before I have to be so creative. However, I will share the idea with my sister who has two young boys.

Thanks a lot, hope all is well,

-DT

]]>