I am all for rewards. But I don’t want to create dependence on them (for the kids OR for us!). That said, the promise of a new pair of jeans does have a tendency to keep me in gym class ; ) So an appropriate balance is what I’m after, I suppose.
Last week I decided to see if a tangible reward might help the kids buy in to a few more “green choices” than usual. I picked up two DVDs they’d really like at a local consignment shop. Then I let them discover the loot, and explained that when each of them made 6 “green choices” they could pick a movie and watch it! I even stuck 6 pink and 6 blue post it notes up on a little white board to help track their choices. We brainstormed example green choices, and I demonstrated how if I caught them making a green choice (the only rule–it had to be self-directed) I would pull off a post it, write the choice on it and stick it to the window so that we could show Dad at dinner time. I thought they would race through those choices b/c they were so excited about the movie… but no. I kept having to remind them about missed opportunities, and found myself directing as much as usual. Probably because their task was too broad (“green choices”) and the reward interval was too long (a weeks is like ten toddler years). AND because three year olds aren’t terribly self-directed when it comes to making good choices–HA! But they did get the hang of it. And by the week’s end they’d each earned their movies, which they enjoyed immensely.
Next time I’ll choose specific behaviors I want to reward, so the process will be more of a learning tool. And I might try using a smaller “thing” that could be earned more quickly, to get better buy in. Live and learn.
Almost there!
blessedtimestwo 