INSPIRED BY A SAM PAST STORY. I don't own anything
Charlie was married. He adored his wife and his twin girls Robin and Jennifer. One day when his girls were 9 they said, "Daddy we're big."
"Yes you are," Charlie said, "what's the point?"
"You need to treat us more grown up," Robin said, "we're too old to be disciplined the way you guys do"
Lisa, the girls' mother smiled.
"I think you're right Robin," Lisa said, "if you and Jennifer think you're old enough to be treated like grown-ups then your father and I respect that. For a week we will try LAZAYFAIRE"
"What's that," Jennifer asked.
"Basically you girls set your own rules.
"You decide when to eat. You decide when to go to bed. You decide if you do your homework or not. You can decide all sorts of things. The only time we will intervene is if you want to do something dangerous say drive the car"
"Really! That is so cool," Jennifer exclaimed.
"But," Charlie told them, "There is one catch. For the next week you will have to accept whatever natural consequences happen. If you don't clean your room for instance we won't clean it for you unless you pay us out of your allowance
"If you don't do your homework you get a low grade. If you get in trouble you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. The only exception to that is if mommy and I decide you're in way over your head"
"Will you still hug us and kiss us and tuck us in at night," Robin asked a little concerned.
"Hug you and kiss you—absolutely," Charlie said, "tuck you in… well that depends on if you go to bed before we do.
"We're not going to get up when we're already asleep in order to tuck you in. Remember it's your choice"
"But being a grown up," Lisa said, "means making the right choices too. There are good consequences in choices made at times as well… not only bad ones."
"At the end of the week we'll discuss this and see where we need to change some things and what needs to stay the same"
((One week later))
"So girls what did you think?"
"I think," Robin said, "I didn't realize how blessed I am to have you and mom for my parents. Being a grown up is hard work."
"I agree," Jennifer said, "but we don't like some of what you do. We think it would be better if you talked with us when we're doing something wrong instead of punishing us"
Charlie thought for a minute.
"I guess we can try that," he said, "on two conditions"
"Name them," Robin said
"First is you go back to being my little girls," Charlie said, "I really miss my little girls being little girls"
"Done!"
"And second when we talk you LISTEN and when you talk WE LISTEN!"