Friday 16 March 2012

A tale of 2 siblings

In some of the past posts I have mentioned my daughter, I think I may have mentioned the son in one of them as well. They couldn't be more different. Charlotte will try anything, give it a go then cast it aside, but at least she tried. Mark, on the other hand, couldn't care less about doing stuff that doesn't involve either the computer or games console, professionally lazy our son.
Mark has just come round to the fact that if he wants stuff now he may have to, god forbid, go out and get a job, I can see the beads of sweet building on his brow at the very mention of the words, going out.
I do, and in the case of our son, did, give them pocket money for doing chores. Charlotte will wash up, take the dog out with Sam and other small jobs for a bit extra, but they have to earn their money. Mark does, well, nothing really, and when I first stopped his money he just couldn't grasp the concept that maybe if you do sod all you earn sod all. He gets it now, the concept that is, but as he's 18, pocket money wouldn't get him what he wants so he's not overly bothered. He wants a new computer, that means a part time job, unlucky, and unlikely!
He goes to college most of the week but needs something for the weekends. He's handed out a few CV's and now just waits. Which is an improvement on how it used to be, I'm sure that before he sat in doors and waited for an employer to knock and ask if he was looking for a job.
I know that when Charlotte is 16 she will start looking, she will get one as well, as she will put in all the effort needed.
His attitude seems to be, well I've sent out the CV's whats keeping them from calling. The only thing in his favour is the he doesn't drink, or go out, or socialise, or leave his room, so he needs minimal funds, if any in fact.
Asking them both about what they want to do when they leave school, or college you get two answers.
Charlotte will real off a list of things she might do, these sometimes change, but at least she gives it some thought, and has something to aim at.Mark on the other hand hasn't a clue, and he's nearly at the stage of getting a job, he will get the fright of his life, oh how I will laugh, I wont though will I, I'll be out there with him looking, trying to help.
I gave them, and still do to Charlotte, the old parental rubbish about trying hard at school or you will end up in a dead end job like the old man. Maybe if my old man had been around to say that to me I would have done better, but, hey ho!
It makes you feel old though when you start reeling off the stuff the parents said to us as kids. Things like; Your not going out like that are you? Try hard at school. Ha, school, its the best years of your life.
You kids don't know when you got it easy, and finally the oldy but goody, you never had it so good, we had to make our own fun. Brilliant, I honestly can remember thinking all them years ago, when I have kids I'm not saying any of this stuff like an old misery, but here I am, giving them both barrels, wonderful.

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