Have I blogged about our points system? For some reason I feel like I have, but I went looking back on the blog and couldn't find it. Awhile ago I blogged about our House Rules. Those still exist we just don't have them posted anymore. We noticed that negative reinforcement wasn't cutting it with Owen. Timeouts didn't really have any effect on him and neither did spankings. So my friend Kim suggested that we try positive reinforcement instead. Enter the point system...
The chart on the left has a picture of two people sharing a milk shake so that's for...sharing. The chart in the middle has an ear that's for listening and obeying. The chart on the right has a smile that's for being kind. The boys have to earn points to get a treat. 10 for sharing (it's been bumped up to 20 because they learned how to work the system on this one), 20 for listening and obeying and 20 for being kind. At first I gave the boys half their points on each chart that way I could take points away if they were doing the opposite of what I wanted...like if you steal a toy you will lose a point on your sharing chart. So far it's gone really well! Owen has earned 3 treats and Jack 1. Jack isn't nearly as motivated by this as Owen as you can tell. 
The other day Owen got to go pick up his third treat. A treat is one thing from the dollar store. Anything they want. The first time Owen went he had earned two treats and he got a Cars harmonica and a Cars paint set. Jack has gotten these cool tub toys that squirt water. This time around Owen got a train he could paint. He LOVES arts and crafts! He's also wearing his new craft apron that Papa Martin got him!
Ta Da...a work of art! He did it almost all by himself. He did let Mommy and Daddy paint a little...sharing so he got another point! Told you he knows how to work the system. Daddy also filled in some of the areas so there wouldn't be anymore white showing through.
That's great!!!
ReplyDeleteWe do something similar with a star chart. Ours is from Doorposts, they have a discipline chart as well, but I don't love it because the verses our kind of obscure and hard for a 3 & 4 year old to understand. http://www.doorposts.com/details.aspx?id=3
The kids each have a different color marker, once they fill it up, they get to pick a fun family activity for us to do. We've been doing it for probably about a year, and we almost don't need it anymore. Not that there behavior is perfect, but we've seen such huge improvement in some major areas. One thing that's great, is it help me to try to focus on the good things they do, and not the naughty stuff : - )