Stick it to HER

We just started an incentive program with Taylor to help her with her behavior. She has been throwing all kinds of attitude around lately and has quite a little temper at times. I know this is partly due to her age, but A LOT of it is under her control. In the past we have tried lots of things (marble jar, tally sheet, sticker chart, happy face/sad face girl, physical punishment :) and we have to be constantly changing it up and making it fun to be good. This latest STICK system has worked wonders! Taylor's cute primary teacher does a similar program with fake dollars in her class. She was non-stop talking about her dollars, who lost them on Sunday, who earned them, what she was going to "buy" in the store etc. We changed it up to fit our life and it has been amazing!

She earns a popsicle stick if I catch her being good, listening the first time, being polite, kind to sister, completing her daily chore chart, staying dry all day and whatever else we dream up. I keep a handful of sticks in my pocket at all times (out in public works great too) and try to be very liberal about giving them out and complimenting her on positive things. (Tim gave her one for being on his side when Tim and I disagreed on something---he is not helping! Any husband stick program ideas for naughty behavior?? ) This has also been great for me to focus on the good and not be on her about the negative all the time. Plus, I have sticks in my pocket all the time poking me as a reminder. She has earned 32 sticks as of this morning (she counts them 4-5 times a day--also good counting practice!). Most of the time when she's choosing to be naughty all I have to say is "Do I need to take a stick away?" and she straightens right up. Also, sometimes a "I'm looking to give a stick out..." comment helps. This is flashback to all the hours in the classroom as a teacher manipulating my students!

Tay gets really excited to mark off the chore chart so she can earn a stick. I'm talking one stick for doing all this stuff! She gets especially excited about the truly exciting "Surprise chore" for the day. I am going to milk this until she catches on...I love this age!

The motivation behind it all: the treasure box. Taylor can buy anything from the box with her sticks. The first day she bought a candy necklace for 5 sticks as soon as she earned them. Now she's been saving up for a sleepover at Mema's house for 40 sticks. I am shocked at her control to save these sticks instead of splurging for the cheaper stuff. I tried to keep the prizes more outing oriented than costly, cause that's my style. But half of this stuff we would have done or given to her anyway. This way she works hard for the money. So many life lesson parallels!