Police State

Our kids are about to enter a police state. On our last trip, the kids were usually well behaved and even sometimes helpful, however, every once in a while they were downright evil. To combat this tendency toward the dark side I devised a plan that I introduced to the kids as "The Police State". This is how it works:

If I am speeding (breaking the law), and I get pulled over, I expect to get a ticket and have to pay a fine. The faster I go, the higher the fine. Plus there are certain places where it is worse to speed than in others such as a school zone. If I speed in one of those areas then the fine is quite high. This is the way the real world works.

The kids have been earning souvenir money all week by babysitting Nick and Isaac while I was a work. They have cold, hard cash in their hands. Now for the best part...They get to keep their money as long as they don't do anything that results in a fine. The worse the infraction the larger the fine. Who are the police? Tom and I of course. If I am having a wild party and bothering the neighbors what do they do? Well, they could come and talk to me but if I continue with the party then they call the police and I get a fine. If Miriya is disturbing the peace then Taylor can call the police and Miriya will get a fine. Seems so simple. Jail time, no problem. You will have to sit on the picnic table while the rest of us participate in some fun activity. There is a possibility of community service in lieu of fines, but only on minor, first time offenses. Three strikes and you're out is very much in force in this police state.

I am pretty excited about the plan, know why? Because Miriya absolutely HATED it when it was introduced. No more wiggling out of punishments and teasing brothers without consequences. But you can't take away the money that I earned, she wailed. Wait, I said, if I speed then they take away the money that I earned right? Again, that is the way the real world works. You always have the option of jail if you don't pay your fine. I don't know why we didn't think of it earlier. Miriya then objected to everyone being a tattle tale. Think about it Miriya, you don't just bash up your neighbor's car when he parks in your parking spot. Police to the rescue. Oh the applications are endless. I am rubbing my hands together just thinking about the possibilities, especially the possibility of a trip filled with law abiding citizens that work together for the good of society, I mean, the family.