incentive

morgan started a soccer league this year and is loving it. she originally joined so that she could play with her 2 besties, jaimie and ellie. surely you're all aware that besties do everything together. unfortunately...jaimie was placed on another team while ellie and morgan are part of team thunder (named during a thundery rain storm a few weeks back). morgan has really taken to this sport and i'm delighted. i think that soccer is a great sport for kids.

(morgan is #8...she picked the same number that mr c wore while he played college football)

Background.

mr c is a natural athlete. his heart beats for football (and me). he is that guy...that guy who can play any sport and is really good at it. drives me nuts. nuts. sister and i once tried to double up and bring him down on the tennis court a few months back...he defeated the wonder that was our doubles team. lesson learned. he has not been invited back on the court since. i will no longer shoot hoops on the neighbors drive, toss around a football, play catch or even have a who can hold their breath the longest contest in the pool with this guy. i've learned my lesson. this guy is good.

at the first game of the season, mr c offered an incentive to morgan. for every goal scored, he would offer her 10 bucks. i am very much okay with offering incentives to our children. i feel that it is okay to add extra reason or reward to accomplish a goal. i grew up with my parents offering new clothes or money for good grades or treats at the supermarket for being helpful or well behaved during the week. i remember to this day that straight a's would get my sister and i a new Guess wardrobe. i wanted those Guess overalls so badly. remember those? okay, so during the game last week, morgan did not score a goal. she was not upset at herself or defeated...she just worked harder at practice and a few times during the week asked mr c if the deal was still good for game number 2. yes it was.


Here we are on saturday at the second game of the season. mr c and i were cheering on team thunder and reminding morgan as she was at the other end of the field about her incentive. she would look over and smile letting us know that she heard us loud and clear. as the game played on, morgan started to slow down and her stride clearly was tiring. these girls were playing soccer without a spot of shade in 102 degrees. it was hot and uncomfortable to even just sit and watch. when morgan came over for a guzzle of water...mr c upped the incentive. 50 bucks for a goal morgan! my reaction: huh? she smiled and headed into the team huddle. some of the parents around us were joining in on this incentive craze and offering a little coin to their girls as well.

Game goes on and still no goal by morgan.

Game is tied 1-1.

Morgan gets some good foot action at opponents goal and all was quiet when everyone hears mr c belt out from the bottom of his athletic lungs....Morgan, 100 dollars for a goal!

Long story short...mr c is less one hundred dollars in his pocket today. My girl morgan scored right after that declaration by mr c.

It is safe to say that she has earned all possible monetary incentive for the season. Any further reward will no doubt consist of trips to get ice cream and the like. Mr c has learned his lesson.

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Let me just also say...I am so grateful for my mr c. He takes care of and supports my children like they are his own. He was as proud of morgan as much as i was and there is no doubt in my mind that after the game, when he went back to work, he bragged about her like she was his own. He truly is an amazing man.

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( In case you were wondering...morgan collected her 100 bucks that afternoon and bought herself a nintendo ds...victory is sweet, no?)