Unexpected motivation

Reagan, 13 (Calling from the track meet where she is a substitute runner, having not made the track team): "Hey, Mom! I just ran the 800 and didn't do so great, but now they want me to run the mile and two mile."

Mom: "Rea, I think that's too much, you haven't trained for all of that. Why don't you just stick with the mile."

Reagan: "Well, okay, but I REALLY want to win a ribbon but I know I can't...these girls are way faster than me."

Mom: "Do your best, babe, that's all you can do."

Reagan: "I know but I REALLY want to win a ribbon to show those coaches I should've been on the team."

Mom: "Well, go show them! And if you win a ribbon, I'll let you sleep until 5:15 tomorrow." (Teasing her as our usual wake-up time is 5am.)

Reagan: "15 extra minutes?! Make it 6:15 and you got a deal!"

Mom (confident I had nothing to worry about): "Okay, but remember to pace yourself on the first three laps and then kick it at the end."

An hour later, the phone rings...

Reagan (screaming): "MOM! I did it! I won a ribbon!"

Mom (in shock): "You did?! Oh my gosh Rea, congratulations! Now you get to sleep until 5:15 tomorrow morning.

Reagan (with great fervor): "5:15?! Do you know how many girls I had to fly by at the end of that race?! You said 6:15, Mom, 6:15!

She slept until exactly 6:15 Friday morning and came downstairs smiling, not because she won that ribbon and not because she proved herself to the coaches, but because she had enough kick in the end of that race to earn the promised extra hour of sleep.

Now, considering I haven't slept all night long in 18 years and my youngest children like to rise before the sun, I think I can appreciate such a precious reward.