Reward Cards

I made these "Reward Cards" aka Entitlement Cards, to reward the kids for good behavior.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT

Simply cut and laminate!

{If cut around the black these should also fit into those pre laminated name tag pouches that come as badges or attached to lanyards. You can buy them at Walmart for cheap!}

I made mine into necklaces with yarn. 

This way if Daddy comes home and finds them playing games, watching TV, or staying up past bedtime he can instantly see that this is "earned time" which avoids accusations and assumptions :) 

This also let's the siblings know to leave them alone.

Happy Parenting!

Encouraging Good Behavior in the Car

Can I just say that I LOVE scouring blogs/Pinterest for good parenting ideas! So many Moms out there have the best ideas!!

Take this one from Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss for example:

Road Trip Clips!

This lovely lady scrapbooked some clothespins but you could also just buy some different colored clips and coordinate with your child's assigned color (pink for jane, blue for john, etc) 

(which is what I'll do as my kids are color coordinated)

You'll have to head on over to her blog in order to see how she fully incorporates them 

but in a nut shell... if you fight, whine, or make a bad decision your clip comes down. If your clip comes down you don't get a treat at your next stop. 

She used these clips for a 16 hour road trip with much success! However, I see no reason why these couldn't be utilized for a 10 minute car ride to the grocery store!

Teaching Table Manners

Here's a great parenting tool I found on an adorable blog!

Introducing..... MR. PIG!

(source: Madsens Memories)

While eating dinner, if you eat or act like a pig..... you get passed Mr. Pig!

and if you end up with Mr. Pig at the end of the meal

you get to clear the WHOLE TABLE!!

---------

Be sure to establish some clear "table manners guidelines" before the meal so everyone knows what's expected of them.

Here are some of my personal suggestions but feel free to edit it according to your own personal preference:

*No bodily noises (burping, slurping, smacking)

*Chew with your mouth closed

*Don't start eating until the cook (usually Mom) is seated

*Sit in your chair properly and don't tip your chair

*Say "PLEASE pass the..." NO reaching

*ALWAYS compliment the chef! regardless of if you like it. If you   don't like it, TAKE LESS.

*Eat everything off your plate. Take less if you aren't very hungry.

*ALWAYS ask to be excused from the table when you are finished. Do not leave the table until being excused.

*Take your plate and utensils to the sink once you are excused.

*Always offer your help with cleanup. ESPECIALLY when you're a guest in someone elses house

Personal Interviews and Family Council

Here are a couple printables that are sure to enrich your family and children! Hop over to Creating Better Habits and read my article about how to incorporate them into your family :)

I also have some great tips and suggestions about hosting your first Family Council HERE
and your first Personal Interview HERE

These printables go hand in hand with the teachings of Linda and Richard Eyre- parenting experts who have blessed my family beyond anything I could have ever hoped or imagined. It is their books that got me started on my love (instead of frustration) of Early Childhood Development and all things parenting related.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE DOWNLOAD

If you like these, check out my Family Planner printables as well. These go great hand in hand. I keep my Family Council and Interview pages behind the Sunday section so that I remember to do it that day.

p.s. if you can't get my free printables to download (for whatever reason) email me (email is under the contact tab above) and I'll send you the PDF's directly.

Teaching Your Children Independence

I recently heard a wonderful talk on CD by Merrilee Boyack called, "Teaching Your Child to Fly!" {The following information is going to change your children for the better in a remarkable way!}

Think about the first time you were on your own. What surprised you the most? Utilities? How expensive food was? How to use a laundromat? How to properly cook or do laundry?

Personally for me it was how much stuff I needed just to function in a place of my own and how expensive those things accumulated to be! {Condiments, cleaning supplies, medicines, toiletries, and all other basic supplies}

Merrilee made a list of all the things she wished she had known and all the things she thought were important for an adult to know and then decided she was going to train her children all these things by the age of 18 so that they would be fully prepared for the real world. She then broke down all the things on that list in a year by year basis so her children would constantly be learning and growing according to their increased capabilities. You can find the original list on her website HERE.

Since I like my lists to be pretty... and match my personal binder {I know I know... ridiculous!} and since I wanted to adapt the list a bit and even add a few things here is the list I came up with:

A guideline for every age:

{It's personalized to fit my families needs but this list should give you a rough idea/guideline of what to include on your child's list.}

(this is a copy of a copy of a copy- hence the awful quality. I apologize:) But you get the idea!)

AND...........

a DIY version so you can create your own list and track your child's progress!
This list is printable! To print CLICK HERE!

**According to Merrilee it takes a child an average of 8 times of training with Mom/Dad before they are fully trained to do it on their own. So be patient :)

** She also suggests that summertime is a really good time to tackle the training. If you don't know how to do a particular thing let alone teach it, enlist the help of other "specialists" in that area such as friends, family, neighbors, or even church leaders!

**And remember.... It is NEVER too late to begin!! I am backtracking a bit with my oldest to get her caught up :)

Heck, even I need training in some of these areas!! :)

I HIGHLY recommend her CD. It is funny, inspiring, and a quick listen. You will not be disappointed!

Anyone going to do this with me? Anyone already doing this?

And if you haven't seen my Family Planner printables yet, go check them out! I keep my Master List so I can refer to it in my Home Management Binder. And my kiddos (and I) each have a copy of the current list they are working on in their Responsibility Binders.

Cleaning Costume

A few years ago I noticed that if my kids were "in costume" they were so much more well behaved.

And easier to control! mwah ha ha ha ha.... (evil laugh)

case in point:

Dressing up as "little ladies"; play heals, purse, hat and all while we ran errands

Putting on an apron & chef hat while in the kitchen

and dressing up as "cleaning ladies" while doing our morning chores

Part of their "cleaning ladies" costume is this cleaning kit. (it's actually a shower caddy that I got it at Walmart for $3 or $4 bucks)

My kids are color coded (to prevent fighting) so purple kid got a purple one, and pink kid got a pink one.

*Tangent- my son, who is 2, has recently shown an affinity for the color red. I'm pretty sure it's his favorite color so that will be his "assigned" color and someday soon, as soon as I can find a red shower caddy, he will inherit a red cleaning kit.

anywho....

I filled the bucket with all their necessary tools and filled an empty spray bottle with a safe cleaner: Hydrogen Peroxide. Recipe listed below. Include an apron for added dress-up fun!

It's amazing what a HUGE difference these kits have made in their attitudes towards cleaning!

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE:

I got an email a few years back about all the wonderful things Hydrogen Peroxide can be used for and how safe and effective it is in cleaning. I have used it ever since and never looked back! It is by far THE best glass cleaner you will ever use and it disinfects just as good if not better than the chemical cleaners.

And the best part? It's super safe for your kids and pets & you can buy a huge bottle for under $1 and it will last you a long time!

RECIPE:

50% Hydrogen Peroxide

50% Distilled Water

(it is especially important for cleaning glass that it be distilled water.)