Dave Naps While His Children Labor

Since we have returned from our two vacations, our family is on a strict budget (until my wife and I get paid again in September) and I'm enjoying this frugal starving time, as it gives me an excuse to do things I enjoy that are free or already paid for: run, go to the library, read, listen to podcasts, eat rice and beans, nap, wake up early, rollerblade, play tennis, acupuncture, go to the gym, etc. and there are no other options to distract me from these simple, wonderful things-- but my kids weren't taking as well to the spartan life and so (with the help of my wife) they have taken matters into their own hands--literally-- and they've been doing manual labor for anyone and everyone who will hire them; I've never seen them so motivated or get along so well; they have a little notebook with all the addresses and times for their jobs, and they've been mowing lawns, carrying boxes, assembling basement floors, weeding, and doing any other odd job they can manage . . . despite the family economic shutdown, they've already earned enough to buy a Nintendo Switch and Smash Bros (so refusing them to buy a video game system beyond the Wii has really turned out well for me, I've never seen them so driven and organized, I didn't have to shell out for a new system, and they're bickering far less than normal . . . they're too busy counting their money to fight).