I have found a new TOY…and it is working so far!! I found this very cool site while reading a blog a few weeks ago and saw it again yesterday. It’s at www.myjobchart.com. I went in and handed out the chores last night. They range from brush teeth to feed cat to get to church on time to read to the little brother. Each chore is worth points and then they can buy rewards with the points. I put in the rewards today. They include TV time, computer time, reading together, pizza dates, roller skating, music downloads and even Disneyland is on there!!
As much as I heard “this is so stupid” as I tagged a “price” they thought too high and unattainable to the list, I see it working!! Sariah RAN to the kitchen to put the groceries away to earn 10 points, she helped with dinner prep to earn more and set the table with NO complaints to earn more. I LOVE that. Miranda was relatively excited to earn her own points and can I just tell you….my Tallen boy is THRILLED to earn points! “Mama! I help daddy get wood. I get points!” He wants to “buy” a play date with a friend from church. it is worth 50 points.
They are excited. I am content to not yell and beg for help and action. They get what they want and so do I.
WIN – WIN ROCKS!!!!
PS- they all used 50 points tonight to go to the video store and rent FREE kids videos. Not a bad deal.
2/26/10 - I have found that the "prices" for the rewards are not NEARLY high enough. I will fix that. There's NO way I will be able to afford movie tickets every week for Sariah!! WOW! She accumulated 500 points in a week. Hmmmmm. How do I go about this raising of the rates, and not break the spirit of win - win ????
I have a few things to update on.
1) The 730/365 challenge…I started off on February 1st with 120 items! And now I am up to 147 items…Woo-Hoo! That just got me more excited to find more things that we don’t use, that doesn’t fit, that we don’t LOVE or someone would love more than we do. What was on that list anyway you might ask. Well, let’s see:
- 4 pair footie jammies that Tallen has outgrown and lots of other things he’s outgrown. I can’t believe he’s going to be 4 ! ! His baby days are gone for sure. I hear a lot of “me do it” and “me know how” lately.
- clothes the girls have outgrown and/or no longer love as much. We passed some on to some younger kids we know. I loved the things and wanted the PERFECT person to have them…my downfall. I want others to love them as much as I did.
- 20 things were clothes I have FINALLY gotten used to the idea that I CAN’T wear…and WHEN I lose weight, I will want “up to date” and cuter things anyway…I’ll deserve NEW clothes (from the 2nd hand store that I love to shop at…it’s the treasure hunt I love!!)
- 4 pairs of shoes/boots that my fat feet will never fit back into after 3 kids and much mistreatment by the owner.
- many, many misc. things – extra kitchen stuff, hard cover books, kids toys they no longer use, etc.
I am excited to find and count more…I will do the whole 730 for sure. Now – for me to NOT go in and replace the things gotten rid of with an EQUAL number of new goodies…I took this load and only got myself ONE purse AND it was 1/2 off even! (I immediately gave the one I was using away) One in and One out…too bad I gave it to Miranda to keep her knifty-knitter in, so it’s actually still here!! Oh, well. I am taking the clothes to the consignment store and I’ll try that for awhile. Some of the girls at church have made good money doing it that way.
2) the projects (knit) – I NEED new photos and haven’t done it. I have about 5 inches done on the self striping socks for Miss Miranda. She is most impatient with me on this front. I started them in October during General Conference and almost finished but then tore them out on Christmas and restarted them. The stitches were loopy and loose and they wouldn’t wear well for her. They look GREAT now. The stitches are very small (size 1 needles) and even. Lovely.
3) I am working on hand warmers as well, I finished a pair the other day for my Mother (I can write this because I don’t think she reads the blog…) And one of these days I’ll actually make MYSELF some. Maybe…
4) Miranda got her braces off yesterday. I’ll post pictures when it’s not so late…gotta get to bed after hanging the “snow day” signs I made for the girls. They will be so excited!!!! G’night.
I am attached to my stuff. I’ll admit it to anyone. I moved A LOT as a kid and the only thing that was constant was my “stuff.” But here’s the problem, my stuff is taking over the peacefulness of my home and replacing it with…yuck. So, I am on a journey of sorts. I have read the books, the articles and now the blogs. In fact…
I read a blog from the Happy Housewife and today’s issue talks about her near-triumph at decluttering her home with the 730/365 Challenge. Here’s a link to the original site at the finer things. I have decided – since I need to get rid of stuff anyway – to join in and challenge myself.
I am going to try to live up to the challenge and get rid of 2 things each day. I’m hoping that I can stick with the whole “1 for me and 2 for you” thing. I doubt it’ll go over with everyone in our home. We’ll see. I have 3 boxes of clothes and stuff in the garage ready to go to the Salvation Army…or maybe I’ll try the consignment shops in town first. Tax write off or not, It’s always better to just get money now!
Amy (at amysfinerthings.com) is actually counting the items! Very cool idea. I’ll give that a try, then I can feel that sense of accomplishment along the way. I’ll keep you updated on my progress. I put a little "button" to take ya to the site if you want to go - and an ever UPDATED count. Gotta get busy!
