Some may say that we shouldn't bribe our kids, that they should do things just to please us, or because they are part of our family, which I firmly believe, but sometimes some good old fashioned bribery works wonders! You see, at the beginning of the summer we made up this huge daily work chart for our kids, with a long list of daily chores. We made them a deal that for each day that they did all of their chores, they would get a sticker on their chart. Once they filled their chart with stickers, they would earn their very own DVD player. (What they didn't know is that we were planning on getting these anyways to make our upcoming vacation a lot quieter on the 12 hour drive to Utah.) Little did we know what power a single sticker can have over our girls. It was the greatest thing EVER! I would wake up in the morning to Noelle vacuuming her room, or Marissa sorting the dirty laundry, and Lizzie would do anything to not get a sticker taken off. So, in the last week they have all earned their DVD players, and no longer want to do any chores. Dang! What can we bribe them with now?
11 comments:
Can you PLEASE come over and construct a chore chart for my teenage children? Because even if I threaten death/anything else you can think of, they still will not do anything without whining first.
Didn't I totally just sound like a stay at home mom there? Weird.
I love the cersive writing and the decorating on the charts.
Emily, you do have a dilemma because your mom wasn't mean enough. She was pretty much a saint. So now everyone just tells you "you're not the boss of me," or "you can't make me," or or "mer mer, mer," or worst yet, "leave me alone, you're not my mom." I'm feelin' for ya.
I am ALL for bribery...makes me feel in control as a mom still haha (though I think it is the reverse) In fact I have been know to bribe myself, make up a chart and happily cross off each completed task and then treat myself to what I think I deserve. It is wonderful!!
To bad it is over for you, you have lost the edge you had on them. Sounds like it was nice while it lasted. Good Luck on the next one you may be stirring up! hehe hehe =)
Um, Aunt Elise, do you live at our house/inside my brain? How did you know all of this??? You are a psychic genius!!
um, do you think if i made myself a chore chart & promised myself a dvd player, i would actually clean my house on a daily basis...instead of waiting until it is a candidate for clean sweep on TLC & then spending a whole day cleaning & then letting the cycle repeat?! i can not WAIT til i can bribe chloe. *wink*
A little bribery never hurt anyone! Great idea I say. You got a clean house and quiet happy kids on a 12 hour drive-smart woman! Hope you guys have a great time in Utah-sniff-wish we were there!
Great idea. Not sure it works so well with boys. That was the funnest GNO ever on Fri. So glad you came. Can't wait to see all the UT blogs. Primary seemed lost without you today!
I love how Lizzie always adds a little spice to the Nielson Six...even with something as boring as chores! It was so much fun seeing you on Friday. You are one of people that makes everyone's favorite list, including mine. Not to mention that you are about the hottest Mom ever. Blog a picture of your new car. I want to see the new ride. I'm jealous. Have fun in Utah.
Chore chart leverage is the best! We took a sabattical from them this summer for some strange reason, but we're SO looking forward to having control again. This sounds awful, but I get satisfaction from taking a sticker off one of their charts when they're being bad... I always take off the coolest sticker too.
Jake
I think a nice ceremony would have been you doing the congratulations dance with cartwheels and all while Kirk kneels on one knee to present the DVD player. THAT's what I'd work for. I'll make a chart and provide the DVD player if you guys will do that for me.
My comment is totally unrelated to this blog, but I just have to tell you that I laughed out loud at your aloha comment. Aloha means hello! Good try though. Never call yourself bilingual!
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