Reward!

It's no big secret that I find parenting a challenge- I have no idea what I am doing 90% of the time. My kiddies are wonderful, I just seem to constantly be feeling my way along (in the dark)....

Rupi is ALL boy. He's boisterous and physical and filled to the brim with testosterone. Channeling this in directions that are socially acceptable can be hard at times. And all too often I feel that my interaction with him is too negative. Time out was a sad failure with him and so we confiscate items. Sometimes the top of the TV looks like a toy store with all the confiscated items. I hate negativity and felt like our day was becoming filled with it.

Cue my Mother.

A very wise woman who happens to be an early childhood teacher. She suggested a reward system with star stickers. Even though he's really young to grasp the concept she thought he may understand it. So we started one....

We have a chart on the fridge and Rupi needs to get 5 stars before he gets a reward. A REWARD!!!! We are making it quite easy to get a star so he can start to grasp the idea. If he's nice to Blossom and gives her one of his toys to play with, lets us brush his teeth with little fuss or eats his food nicely, he gets a star.

I have a box of rewards and the idea was that he can choose one himself. Big mistake. The first time he got a reward he found the array of options was overwhelming and so wanted more than one (*sigh* silly Mama) So he got two rewards the first time. Now I give him a reward and he doesn't see the box..

I can't say he's overly motivated by the star chart, but at least good behaviour is being rewarded. Time will tell if this works out! I certainly feel like the focus is more positive and that makes a happier home.

And Blossom is still the loudest person in the house. There's a lotta noise wrapped up in one small cute bundle! This is her folded in half and sleeping. I couldn't understand what the noise was from outside the bedroom. It was Blossom...snoring. Nice.