Happy Leap day!
Last night was garbage night. A weekly chore. As Stu went around collecting the garbage, Teagan kept asking “what doin’ daddy?” So, after she went to bed, we talked about giving her a chore. Her first chore will be cleaning up all the food that Ashlin throws on to the floor. She can either pick it up and put it in the kitchen garbage can, or she can learn to use the whisk broom and dust pan.
Tonight, she was a total cranky pants. It was not an easy dinner, nor an enjoyable bed time. I lucked out, putting Ashlin to bed, so I missed most of Teagan’s antics. Frustrating antics. She does not listen, and will blatantly disregard what you say. So frustrating.
After she was put to bed, Stu and I were talking while cleaning up the kitchen. Teagan is a very visual kid. Stu suggested a reward chart, a visual aid to help her behave. Something to help her work towards a concrete reward.
Stu remembers being in the equavalent of grade school and there was a class reward chart. A man climbing up a mountain. For good things, they were able to move the man forward two spots, for bad, back one. There was generally forward motion on the chart. This process had an impact on him, he still remembers it. Maybe this is the sort of thing we do need to do.
I remember personal reward charts back in elementary school with the SRA reading program. The more lessons you completed, the more obscure the colors of the lessons, the more stars you received. There was a battle between myself and four other students for best reader. I remember one of the highest lessons in the box being the olive lesson, and the cards were always out. I remember the reading battle, but not who won. I guess it wasn’t me.
Anyway, I’ll start looking for reward charts like this one. Maybe I’ll make one instead of buying one.
If the marshmallow reward for pooping is any indication, this should work. Hopefully it will help her be a better little girl. One accountable for her actions. One who can see how she’s doing.
