Fun Games in exchange for Child Labor

Twas the night before the last day of school in May, and my children were whining that they wanted to go play on the bounce houses and laser tag games that the Middle School got to have at their school party that day. 

There was a fundraiser after school using these games & toys, and I told the boys I would take them to the activities and pay for them to play AS LONG AS they would help me in return afterwards.

The following morning was Kindergarten Graduation, and I needed to set up about 180 chairs in my building that night, but I had to wait until Laser Tag was over, because it was set up in the same part of the building that a majority of the audience chairs would be (there's a sliding wall that opens up between that extra room and my music room). 

I thought it was a brilliant idea: they would get to play, and I would have some slave labor help assist me in setting up all those chairs. I took the boys in, and they played for about an hour.

Kanyon getting ready to play Laser Tag with Abby

Kanyon jumping in the bounce house outside.

Jonah & Micah getting ready to turn
themselves out around a giant steel frame.

Halfway to being completely upside down!

The wind had picked up that afternoon, so the inflatable obstacle course was taken down by the time we arrived. Jonah and Micah were sad that was gone, because they'd been looking forward to playing on it. The boys spent more time waiting in line for the activities than actually playing, so they disappointed by the time the fundraiser ended. I took them to Burger King for ice cream cones as an extra incentive to feel like they got a good deal before helping me out.

Putting up chairs with them ended up not being the best idea. They were still whiny, and tired, and I think I spent more time getting after them to help me than just putting up chairs myself. I was getting increasingly irritated because I'd kept up my end of the bargain by paying for activities they wanted to do, but they were failing their end by not making setting up chairs easier and faster for me! In the end, all 185 chairs were set up, so it wasn't a complete failure, just a frustrating one. 

This was a good lesson to me why it's always better to put work before play!!! Then the playing would've been the reward instead of the uneven barter!