charting progress...

I love charts! Not because they look cute, but the peace they bring my household. We are currently enjoying the tea party chart. There are a few reasons this chart has worked so well for us. The first is that the rewards are quick. My kiddos don't have the attention span to work six months on a big prize. They only have to earn seven stickers for each part of their reward. The kiddos also go "outside the lines" and use their stickers at bartering tools with each other. I will clean your room for you if you give me two of your stickers, etc. Secondly, the kiddos feel like they are part of a team. Since they are all working toward the same reward (tea party) they have enjoyed talking and planning their contribution. Noah is very excited about cupcakes while Abby can't wait for brownies. They have been very encouraging to each other,"Becca, just one more sticker and I will help you make a cake." Most importantly, I have a easy reward/discipline. When they get in the car, buckle up, and are kind to one another they each get a sticker. But, if I hear an unkind word I will remove one of their hard earned smiley face stickers. We don't set up clear guideline about what constitute a sticker, so the kids will often ask if I _______ can I get a sticker? We don't have a set time frame for each chart, we just make a new one when they loose interest. Generally we have a new type of chart every other month. Some stick around longer than others, we still uses the reading club chart that we started back in November. I make my charts in photoshop, because I like the way they look. This is a blank, ready for your imagination and pen to make it fit your household.Happy Charting!!