Nathan and Ryan received their second, and final, soccer reffing checks in the mail yesterday.

“How much are you expecting?” I asked.

“A lot,” was the answer I received from both.  And a lot it was!  Nathan’s check came to $210 and Ryan’s came in at $164. 

But as nice as those numbers are, if you are not keeping track of what it is you are owed, you run the risk of not getting paid for the time you worked. 

The only way the soccer ref coordinator knows that you have, indeed, reffed a game, is through the game cards.  These game cards are signed by each referee then turned in sometime after each game.  But things happen.  Maybe the card gets lost under the seat of your car.  In which case, it doesn’t get turned in and you don’t receive reffing money for that game.  Besides, if other kids reffed the same game and you are responsible for turning in the card, they lose out, too.  

So when I saw the blank stares looking at me after I asked if they were sure they were getting paid for all their games, I knew I had failed in teaching them how to keep track.  I should have had them keep a list of each game they reffed and the amount they received for each one.   That way it would be a quick once-over when the checks arrived.

I suppose they could go back over the season and try and figure it out.  They probably won’t.

Note to self:  August, 2010, review with boys how to keep track of money owed.