Braving Boys

Hey, batter!

We’re not opposed to bribing boys for certain behaviors, although we prefer to call it “motivating” boys or “inspiring” boys, because, well,  it just sounds better. We did it recently with grades. We told Joey and Danny we’d pay them for each A (Joey) and each E (Danny), and surprise — Joey brought home straight As on his first 9-week report card, and Danny delivered mostly Es.

Some say kids should not be financially rewarded for doing well in school, they should shine scholastically because it’s expected. I say showing up is expected. Excelling is icing on the cake. And, hey, we’re all for helping our boys pile on the icing.

My mom bribed motivated Joey this weekend, and I must say it worked wonders. You see, my poor guy has been in a batting slump. Once known for cracking the ball with ease, the kid had gone several baseball games without  making any hint of contact. He became so discouraged, he was pretty sure he’d never choose to play ball again. And then something generous happened: His Nana offered him $10 for each hit during tournament play. Score. The kid hit, and hit, and hit, and hit — that’s four hits, which means Joey is now $40 richer. I’m pretty sure he might play on a team again. I’m definitely sure his confidence is restored, and there’s nothing better than that at the end of a season.

Is Joey only getting good grades and hitting baseballs because of the cash that awaits him? Maybe. Is that a problem? Nope. He still makes his bed voluntarily. He cleans up after himself free of charge and he drags in the trash can every Tuesday morning simply because it’s his job — not because there’s a fee attached. For some tasks, however, we will inspire our kids with a little moolah. The way I see it, it’s partly (perhaps mostly) why we all perform well in our jobs — because we want the prize that comes in the form of a pumped-up paycheck.

And then it’s entirely possible the money didn’t inspire — maybe Joey rocked the start of third grade because he’s just that smart. And maybe his coaches and dad and uncle, who spent hours fine-tuning his swing and stance, are to credit for the comeback. Perhaps it’s a combination of everything — smarts, good coaches and funds. And if that’s the case, I couldn’t be happier.