Bribes for Smiles

This past Sunday was picture day at the Courtright house. Each November (we do it in November to avoid the holiday rush) all of us head to Portrait Innovations for our annual family photo session. It is so important to me to get a nice family picture every year, not only for our holiday newsletter but also just to document our growing family.

Every parent knows how stressful these photo sessions can be, especially with kids. This year we had 2 teenagers, a toddler, and a baby. And by far, the hardest part is the teenagers. Why do teenage boys HATE getting their picture taken so much? Each year their resistance gets stronger and stronger, so this year I racked my brain to figure out how to get them to be a little more, um, cooperative.

And the answer? Cold. Hard. Cash.

Yep, that's right. I am actually admitting that I bribed the older boys with money, just for a genuine smile in our family photos. How sad is that?

So, I bet you're wondering if it worked. Well, I can't show you our official new photo yet because I'm trying to save them for our Christmas newsletter. But here's a sneak peak you might enjoy.






And the older boys weren't the only ones that required a bribe. Tucked away in my back pocket was the perfect little trick to get Connor to cooperate, too. His bribe? A sucker. Worked like a charm.




Now, if only I could figure out what it would take to get this little one to smile.