Adventures in parenting, economics edition. There’s some applicability to dog owning, so here’s a little Friday Dog Blogging (if you don’t actually know me, I assure you it’s a few days early, rather than a few days late):
Case study #4: A parent friend of mine was told at a parent teacher conference: “Mr. Jones, your math skills are excellent. We are concerned, however, about your son’s skills.”
Turns out Mr. Jones was providing just a bit too much help with homework—thereby diluting his son’s work incentives. There’s a name for this in economics: it’s called “crowding out,” and it applies generically to any situation where outside help merely supplants private efforts to solve a problem: be it social security and retirement savings, welfare payments and work effort, or public safety nets and charitable giving.
In light of the specter of crowding out, my first response to my daughter’s complaints about anything—lost toys, hard homework, you name it—is “Oh, no! What are you going to do about it?” [my emphasis - dff]
I like that last bit - push all the responsibility you can right back down the ladder of authority. An actual exchange:
z: Bark! [I want to play with my mouse!]
dff: What?
z: Bark! Bark! [I said: I want to play with my mouse!]
dff: You want to play with your mouse?
z: Bark! [Yes!]
dff: Well, go get your mouse.
z: ? [tilts head to side, lifts ears a bit]
dff: Go get your mouse!
z: Bark? [I can get my mouse myself?]
dff: Yes - go get your mouse!
z: Bark? [Where did I leave it?]
dff: How should I know? Use that nose of yours. Go!
z: [scampers off, returns at high speed with mouse]
z: Sqweek! Sqweek!
dff: sigh. [sees headache approaching]
Unfortunately, there’s no avoiding involvement in the “I want to get on the couch” and “I want to go outside” versions. But you do what you can.