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It’s February, a.k.a the doldrums of the school year. The shiny new curriculum you started last fall is dragging a little and you’ve started to count the weeks until summer break (or spring break. Or any break!). Your daily rhythm is starting to look a little squidgy ’round the middle and all those good routines you set in place are much less structured. Let’s face it, it’s time to strap on those self-discipline boots and march yourself back into some good habit training!
I’m not trying to get all drill sergeant on you. I’m in the same boat! Moving house already set us on a spiral of “When’s the last time we did a science lesson?” and “When’s the last time we picked up our artist study?” Add in the mid-year slump and we’re looking “when’s the last time you brushed your teeth?!” square in the eyes.
Good habits have been hit hard in our house (*she types while still in her PJs at 2:00 pm).
In the past, we have used my Responsibilities Chart to motivate our kiddos with a solid daily routine, and it’s still a very loved system. The satisfaction of moving a completed task into that “done” section is still strong. There are some new motivations in our house these days though. The Man has introduced the kids to classic video games. Mario and Zelda are all the rage and I love that they’re bonding over Dad’s childhood favorites. I don’t love being asked if they can play every fifteen minutes though. It’s adding a whole new level of slump to our school day. So while my trusty Responsibilities Chart is fantastic for motivating those daily tasks like brushing teeth (which I thought we outgrew, but here we are adding it back to the mix) some new tools are being added to our arsenal. Enter punch cards and sticker charts!
Habit training with motivation!
So here’s the plan. To earn some video game time, we’re gonna make some good habits in the process. Each kiddo gets their own chart or punch card (different personalities prefer different motivations). The charts are editable so I can type in some good habits that need some work and they can earn a sticker (or check mark if I laminate it and use a dry-erase marker) when we see them practicing that habit. As the stickers add up so will the time they earn to play some Mario!
The punch card is more of a portable, less task-specific option. I see them practicing a good habit (being helpful, generous, remembering to complete their daily responsibilities, etc.) I can punch their card. Each dot punched will be 5 minutes of play. I think my oldest will prefer the chart (first-born girl to the core) and my boys will get a kick outta the punch cards.
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