Bounty Hunters

My children are clever. And brilliant. They are hardworking entrepreneurs.

They also happen to be extortionists opportunists.

Remember a few weeks back when we packed up our most treasured items, due to the fire on the mountain across from us? Along with treasured items, I also packed the necessities for my business. Those necessities included the iPad I use to show photo galleries, collect model releases and more. Unfortunately, my iPad hasn’t been seen since then. I have worked with several clients and had to *gasp* print model releases on actual pieces of paper.  The kind made from trees. The mighty rainforests of the world are all at risk right this second, all because of my missing iPad. 

It is tragic and sad. Knowing I could no longer allow such destruction and havoc to be wreaked on this beautiful planet, I resorted to a method in our family that almost always works: Offer to pay the child who finds the missing object.

At least they’re cute bounty hunters, right?

I try not to use this method very often. While it is usually successful, I don’t want my children getting the idea that I will pay them every time they find a missing object…just recently I had the kids all searching for the box our Kodak 360 Action Cam came in. No one could find it…I informed the kids we weren’t doing anything else until it was found. Avi immediately pulled it out from under the couch and said, “here it is“. When asked why she hadn’t produced it sooner, she said, “I was waiting for Mom to put a bounty on it“. 

Yes. A child of mine actually said that. Out loud. Take and rip up my Parenting Card right now.

Anyway, my iPad has been missing for weeks, and I was getting mighty desperate. This morning I offered $10.00 to anyone who could bring it to me. Usually a bounty is our house is $1. Or a piece of candy. Not this time, my friends. This time I brought out the big guns. It’s a business investment, after all. 

Less than a minute after posting the bounty, Jubilee had the iPad in her hands. Never mind that I had been asking my children to “keep their eyes open” for weeks. Never mind they all knew I was looking for it. All they needed, apparently, was a little motivation. And some cold, hard cash.

Where was the elusive iPad, you ask? In the front of my laptop case. I could have sworn (except I don’t swear) that I put it in the front of my camera bag… 

I was wrong.

And it cost me ten bucks.