I put 10 jelly beans in a jar and told Abigail & Elijah that every time they obeyed right away, or played nicely together they would get to add another one to the jar...but every time they argued with each other or disobeyed...I would take one out. Then I told them if there were 10 jelly beans left in the jar after their afternoon naps, I would take them to a park!
Well, they didn't quite understand the whole concept, I think Elijah would've rather just gotten to eat a jelly bean instead of putting it in the jar. And just a half hour into it I'd already taken 3 jelly beans out! The problem was...that I wanted to get out this afternoon! : ) It was a beautifully sunny day and Joel works late on Wednesdays leaving me to do dinner and bedtime by myself. It's nice to do something fun before all that!
Elijah was pretty tired this morning and it was just going from bad to worse...around 10:30, there was only 1 jelly bean left! I had to get creative!!
The other night Joel stayed up late with me and talked me through how to set a schedule for the kids (and myself) . He's so creative and great at it. Often I feel bullied by the kids with their constant requests of doing this or that, eating this or that. So after that hour, I felt armed & ready for being in charge of our days and was even more thankful for Joel as my husband! I now have a list of activities that I can just look at for ideas of how to keep the kids entertained and occupied. It's been working well too!
So today I added the jelly bean incentive plan!
Well they were having SUCH a hard time getting along today that when I saw even one time of sharing or playing nice I started giving each of them a jelly bean to throw in! By the time they went down for naps there were still only 7 in the jar. I told them if they went down for naps good, they could each put in a jelly bean when they woke up. Elijah went to bed right away (he usually does) and Abigail never slept, but we went to the park anyway! I can use the removal of something fun another day! : ) We all needed to get out in the fresh air!
Thankfully our friends were able to go with us as well! Maiya & Abigail met waaayy back in 2007 when Maiya came to Slovenia on the team from Cornerstone. It's fun that they're friends now. Maiya has a younger brother a few months younger than Elijah and another younger brother who was just born at the end of February! Bing, bang, boom! Just like us! : )
I was trying to get a smiling picture of all four and then...
Whoops! Don't worry...he wasn't hurt!
This little guy loved it! He had so much fun!The other fun thing was that my Grandparents used to take my brother and I to that park when we were little. It was so fun to be there again! Not that the equipment was the same...but it was the same park nonetheless! : )
I remember those trees!! Those beautiful Oregon trees!!
4 comments:
The challenges of parenting! One thing that never changes!
That's the exact same park and play structure thing that Caleb fell off and broke his leg on. I remember the doctor was asking me what he fell off and I was trying to describe that weird thing. Anyhow, so glad Elijah wasn't hurt when he fell :0)
Hi Amy, I've heard so many things (all good - smile) about you. We live here at Wildhorse with Gina, and my new friends the Obrists and Jenne G speak so well of you, and I just stumbled onto your blog!
Just two days ago I was rehearsing something like your jelly bean incentive in my mind.
I have been losing my patience with my kiddos and realized, that if I followed through on that first time obedience (back to square one-again) I wouldn't get so frustrated when I remind them for the umpteenth time to ____ fill in the blank.
I was thinking that for everytime they obey, right away, with a happy heart I'd add a marble to their jar. But when the grumble, roll their eyes, etc. I'd take one out. And at the end of the day if there were 10? they'd get a big reward, and if the jar was empty, they'd lose a major priveledge. I don't know just an idea that I haven't tried yet.
This parenting thing is such a challenge - a good, hard one! Nice to 'meet' you! ;)
Which park was this? Over close to their house or our house? Looks like it was a fun day!
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