7.08.2008

Stickers, Stickers, Who's Got the Stickers?

This summer I started the Sticker Chore Chart with the kids in an attempt to keep their rooms picked up and teach them some sense of responsibility. I know a lot of people disagree about whether you should pay your kids to do chores or not, but it works for us. There are some jobs that they have to do just because they are part of the family, but these jobs are the ones that I'm lax on making them do (like getting dressed everyday--we would stay in our jammies all day if we could), so having an incentive is good for all 4 of us.

So, the kids are supposed to do their chores, and if they do them, they get a sticker in the slot.


If, at the end of the week, they fill up their chart, they get $2. They can then choose to go to the store and buy something with their money or save it up for a bigger toy. This has helped incredibly with the impulse "Mom, can I have a toy?" every time we're at Wal-Mart. Now I just say, "Save up your money and you can buy it."
We also added a slot called "Super Special Sticker Award" that they can earn a sticker for if they do something exceptional or help with other harder chores around the house. If they earn 7 "SSSA" stickers in a week, they get an extra dollar. This is great for Keaton who loves to over-achieve. Not so great for Sawyer, who enjoys the bare-minimum of any kind of work.

So, yesterday was shopping day. Tate decided that he was going to spend the money he had saved up ($4) and bought a SpiderMan "surfboard" (as he calls it). All I've heard for the past 24 hours is "Surfs Up, Dude!"

Sawyer also decided to spend his money ($5) and bought a really ugly action figure.

Keaton is still saving his money. I think he is up to $8 or something like that now, but apparently there is some really cool toy that he's working for. Probably Star Wars if I had to guess.

It's working for us right now...we'll see how long we can keep it up.




4 comments:

Mich said...

I like the new layout! Fancy! I'm jealous! The kids are cute as always. Tell them their "favorite" aunt loves them...they had better not say "who's that?" either!!! (or there will not be any "bologna" for them! Hee! Hee!) Love ya!

Jennifer said...

That's a good idea! I think Shelby would go for that!

mer@lifeat7000feet said...

I think that's great! I'm all for whatever works.

By the way, I also have a child who is more than happy with the bare minimum...that's so hard for me to swallow...especially when it comes to school.

Smith Family said...

That is a really good idea you have going with your boys. Andrew is like Keaton when it comes to money. He is not quick to spend it and he is usually the one who still has some when the others have spent theirs. Anyway, your boys are soooooooo cute, or should I say handsome. If they are anything like my boys, they would think that was pretty gross to be called cute because that's for girls. Oh yeah, I am so amazed at how Tate has grown since I last saw him.