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We have developed a few incentives here in the Laundry Pile quite by accident.
When Mini-Me was a little, little kid, she wanted a Pogo-stick. I told her she could have one when she turned 5. Thinking she'd forget. I forgot that she had the memory of an elephant - she got a pogo stick when she turned 5.
I accidentally developed the watch plan. When you could tell time to the quarter hour, I'd buy you an analog wrist watch. So far, Mini-me and G-man both have wrist watches. G-man absolutely LOVES his. Mini-Me remembers sometimes to wear hers - but she loves having one, nonetheless.
I just developed the gum-chewing incentive. When you turn 5 (J-man) you can have chewing gum. I made that one up just on Thursday.
Then on Friday, I think, I discovered another incentive. It's interesting what the kids actually come up with for their own incentives.
You see, we have Zoo Tycoon. We have the complete collection where you can add a Marina and Dinosaurs in addition to the regular zoo type of critters. Well, G-man has been wanting to play and wanting to play - but he had to develop better reading skills. He thinks he's developed enough and asked to play. So I consented.
Merrily, he started in on becoming a zoo tycoon.
Well, this got J-man very interested. (We've watch some little rascals movies lately - I'm impressed by how much my J-man looks like Spanky. I may have to change his blog name. I digress.)
(Sorry)
See, J-man .. I mean Spanky, thinks he can do anything that G-man can do. He came hop/skipping into the room..
"Mom! Mom! Can I play zoo tycoon??!?!"
"Well, bubby, you need to be able to read to play the game."
"I want to do school work."
Gotta love a good incentive.
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12 comments:
whatever it takes! I like the wrist watch incentive.
Sounds like a good plan. Don't 'cha just love it when they choose their own!
You're right about the memory, though. My 3 yr old kept telling me how he wanted to go to chucke cheese and I told him "ok, we'll go on tuesday" Do you know how many tuesday's I played that one out on before actually going?!! LOL I used it as a prying tool to get alot done before then.
don't they say elephants never forget? same as kids! so funny how something we say with meaning but in passing...they cement in their cute brains and call it up when it's time!
He's going to be reading in no time and you will have to come up with the next incentive. Soon Mini-E will be "needing" some!!
LOL! We find the computer great motivation for Sierra. She loves playing games with lots of words. I think it's helping reading to sink in. :o)
Ever try Storytelling Alice? It's a good one. You can find it at alice.org for free. Sierra has been doing it with Chase and Marina's help.
Peace and Laughter!
Now see? That's a good thing! Teaches them memory skills!
And I love anything that is so bad that they want to do school. I'll have to try that.... =P
You are one clever mom. I, too, love those incentives by which they actually end up choosing to do something they wouldn't normally want to do!
"Electronic Entertainment" is always a good motivator at our house. Sometimes we run a system whereby they get free EE (limited of course) but it gets taken away for bad behavior/attitude; other times we're on a system in which they have to earn the EE in the first place. Both systems have their merits.
My kids like Zoo Tycoon, too.
What I love about kids is that they have no hesitation to choose such big goals and they're certain they can handle them. Some of that should rub off on us adults.
About incentives, when Emma was 5 we had a wonderful trip to the Queensland theme parks and the kids were asking, "When can go there again?" I replied, "Maybe when Blake's 5 like Emma," thinking it'd be a long way away, but it's here fairly early next year and they're beginning to remind me!
Blessings,
Paula
babe, that's awesome!
Spanky!! Lol.... Now that name condures up memories...
Sounds like things are developing nicely in the Laundry Pile! Spanky will be reading before you know it!
That is a good incentive!! I'm sure he'll be reading soon. I haven't found any incentives that work with Hailey yet... still trying to figure her out ;)
Fantastic! Goal incentives have always worked great for us! Well, except the time that I told Duncan I'd buy him x, y, and z if he would just do swim team. That one didn't work...
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