"Caught Being Good!"

In September I found this little poster/chart at a dollar store, and I thought it was a great idea for me to reward the children for their kindness to one another and for their manners. So, I bought it.

 

It's been hanging on our refrigerator for months now. I have loved looking for the "good" in the children and then watching their excitement when they are rewarded.

Hope is slightly behind in her stickers, but it's simply because she has not been with us as long and the language barrier has kept her from understanding the "game" until recently. However, now she understands the "game", and she gets so excited when she is "caught" being kind and helping out.

What I love the most is that I often forget to "catch" the children being good, and they forget the game now and then as well. It has become part of their nature to look out for each other and to be kind. As an example, last night after dinner, Andrew began cleaning up the table and then went to get the broom. He swept the kitchen floor without being asked! No, this is not his "chore"; he was simply being helpful and thoughtful. You can be sure that I thoroughly enjoyed writing his name on the chart!

Then, I pulled laundry out of the dryer, and Hope and Cherish folded the load of clothes! Hope LOVES(!!!!!) to match socks and fold them. Cherish thought the way Hope folded socks was so cool, that several weeks ago, she asked Hope to teach her how she does it. (Hope learned to fold clothes while in China.) Now Cherish and Hope love matching and folding socks and helping with the laundry. And, I, of course, love the help!

This morning, after staying up very, very late last night with Derek, I found I had overslept. I awoke to all the children dressed and the beds in the process of being made. Cherish was keeping the children quiet and taking care of them so well! You can bet I loved putting her name up on the chart this morning!

For every 5 names that are written up for each child, he/she gets a sticker. After 5 stickers are placed on the chart, he/she gets rewarded. Cherish gets game night with mom and dad after the little ones go to bed--games like Monopoly, Ticket to Ride, Stratego.... Hope and Andrew get a "date" with mom, and we go riding around the town on momma's bike. They each love the one-on-one time with me, and they get to be with me since their bike trailer is hooked up to my bike.

I love that the children now have a habit of looking out for each other and being kind to each other. How's that for a dollar spent at a dollar store?!