She said it still wasn't fair because he got up early every morning and could complete those tasks early and got morning computer time everyday. She slept longer and by the time she was done, it was time to start school, so she didn't get morning computer time, while he got it every morning.
I explained that I thought it was perfectly fair because I gave the same rules to every one and anyone who completed the requirements would get the reward. She said she needed more sleep and could not get up as early so she still thought my rules were unfair.
Would it be more fair if I made my son get dressed, clean his room, and do a chore and let him get on the computer, only to cut his time in half because I let his sister on when she got up in the morning without requiring her to do the same?
Today was interesting though and once again I am unfair. My son got up early like always. He wanted to get on the computer so I gave him the usual tasks. He got dressed and did his household chore, and he told me he cleaned his room. So I let him on the computer, but I checked his room. He had pulled out the bed and all of his bedding as well as some toys and books were in between the wall and the bed. I took a broom dislodged all of the stuff, moved the bed back to the wall, stopped the movie I had put on for him, and told him he had to make his bed and clean his room to my satisfaction. He told me that I was being mean and unfair because I stopped the movie.
He was right in that I shouldn't have stopped his movie, because i should have checked his room before I had ever started it. Still, there is nothing wrong with setting basic rules that one has to follow.
Fair is not making sure all my kids have the same rewards and benefits. It's about making sure they all get the same opportunities to earn the privileges they want and that would be beneficial to them. Bending the rules so they don't have to live by the rules to get what they want is not fair and in the long run not to their benefit.