The Reward

So, we have implemented something new in the Martin household. It's the reward jar......it's equivalent to a reward chart w/ stickers.......I guess I am just more artsy fartsy than I am teacherish and so I had to do something different!

It works like this: I got a small glass jar and a bunch of pretty glass stones. When Sam does something good, she gets a stone. When the jar gets full, she gets a big prize (as opposed to a bunch of little junky stuff each time she does something good) She gets stones for a variety of things but I wanted it to promote independence, character and initiative for doing things.

At what point do you quit telling your child to say "thank you", "share with your brother" or "pick up your toys"? It isn't as if they don't know they need to do these things, they are just hoping to get away with NOT doing them. I was hoping for some positive reinforcement for positive behaviours. So far it has worked beautifully......BUT I must say that Sami is a natural people pleaser so this is right up her alley......don't know that this would work for all the little guys.

So back to what she gets stones for.......here is a small list of things she has actually gotten stones for......

putting away her toys w/o me asking
sharing with her brother w/o me asking
taking a nap w/o a fight
putting the silverware away
putting her laundry away
being a good girl at the store
watching/entertaining her brother while I need to do something
small but important stuff that makes my heart smile because she is such a great kid (character issues)

Sooooo, all this to tell you that she got her jar filled up and received her first reward today. She LOVED it. Her cousins are in town and my Mom was taking them to NRH2O, so we decided that would be a perfect prize. She is hesitant of water but she really warmed up and ended up doing really great and having a fantastic time. She went down slides, played on all the cool kid stuff and swam in the wave pool. It was a wonderful day!

Here are a few pictures.......

Sam & her cousin Parker

Sam & I going down the slide (we are on the left)

Daddy & Spencer

Sam hasn't been to NRH2O since she was less than a year old so she doesn't even remember it. I'm sure we will be going back. Spencer did pretty good. He just got REALLY tired and was fuss talking when we left.......I think his ears are still bothering him.

OH, and that brings up a good question........how do you reward one child w/o rewarding the other? or do you just let them both enjoy it? this isn't so much an issue now but it will be as Spencer gets to the age to do his own reward jar(and I could be wrong in my predictions but I have a feeling that his is going to fill up MUCH slower than hers).

Well, the fam is still zonked from the trip.......hoping they will wake soon.....getting close to bedtime.