Tim heard the front door open and glanced up from the report he was reading. Seeing his daughter drop her bookbag on the floor and bend over to untie her shoes, he called out to her. A moment later, she joined him in the living room.

'Wasn't it your turn to mow the lawn this week, Caitlyn?' he asked sternly.

'It's already done, Daddy', she replied.

'I know it's done. Donnie was doing it when I got home. The point is that you didn't do it.'

'Daddy...'

'Your mother and I give you girls chores to do around the house so that you learn responsibility, Katie.'

'I know that, Daddy! And I am taking responsibility for the lawn getting done.'

'By getting Donnie to cover for you...'

'No! I used some of my tutoring money to pay Donnie to do the lawn.'

'Caitlyn...'

'What's the problem? A bunch of people flunked the French midterm last week, which works out great for the tutoring business!'

'Katie, remember we talked about this? We don't mind you earning some spending money, as long as it doesn't interfere with your responsibilities around the house, or affect your grades.'

'But don't you see? I tutored Ashley in French, and used the money to pay Donnie to do the lawn. It didn't take any extra time away from studying, the lawn got done, Ashley can do better in French, Donnie gets some extra spending money, and I didn't have to mow the lawn. Everybody wins! And I'm fulfilling my responsibilities here, and learning how to manage time and money at the same time.'

'But...'

'Daddy, seriously... I know how to cut grass, so I'm not missing out on any essential life skills here. Donnie mows lawns for spending money, the way that I tutor, and I'm paying him his usual fee – it's not like I'm asking him to do something unfair. What's wrong with deciding that I'd rather pay him to do the lawn, than mow it myself?'

'Caitlyn, sometimes you have to do things you don't enjoy...'

'...because they need to get done. I know that. I learned that about a decade ago! But what's wrong with figuring out a different way for it to still get done?'

'I don't want you growing up thinking you can buy your way out of everything you don't want to do.'

'Of course not everything, Daddy! It's the lawn. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? You and Mama hired someone to paint the kitchen last year; how is this any different?'

'Because I say so.'

To Tim's dismay, Katie burst out laughing.

'Seriously? Daddy, I think that just proved that you're being ridiculous! Where's Mama?'

Tim watched, annoyed, while Katie called out for Abby, then, realising that her mother wasn't home yet, pulled out her phone. They normally made a point of not letting the girls play one parent against the other like this, but he had a feeling that he was not going to win this argument.