I (and by "I", I mean "WE" as in Chris and I) are tired.
Tired of telling our sweet (but very distracted) 8 year old boy to do something OVER, and OVER, and OVER, and OVER again.
Even if he DOES obey the first time, it usually wasn't done fully or the right way.
For example when told to throw his trash away, I find in NEXT to the trash can. Not IN the trash can.
When told to hang up his jacket in his closet, I find it on the FLOOR of his closet.
When told to put his reading log in his agenda, I find it on the floor next to his backpack.
Then there is the completely ignoring our commands.
"Turn off the tv. It's dinnertime." And he doesn't listen.
Calling him and him NOT coming.
Telling him to stop wrestling with his sister, and he continues.
You get the idea.
We have tried to talk to him.
Show him how he is wasting his time by having to go back and correct it.
Showed him in the Bible what God says about obedience, and honoring your father and mother.
All of it seems to go in one ear and out the other.
So I came up with another idea.
I got a roll of quarters and told him, "Dylan, this TEN DOLLARS is for you. You can have it one week from today. You can spend it on ANYTHING you want."
His eyes lit up.
"The only thing is, EVERY time we have to tell you twice (or three or four times) to do something, you owe us a quarter."
He opened the roll and we put it in the pretty clay bowl he made and it is sitting on my nightstand.
He was pretty excited thinking of what $10 could buy him.
(Yes, Payton is photobombing this picture!)
Then reality hit as he had to hand over his first quarter.
He asked if he could earn it back.
"Sorry buddy, not for this. You will just have to learn to obey the first time."
I am praying that this technique works for us! I will let you know how it goes!
And by the way - as of tonight he was already down $1.25.
Tired of telling our sweet (but very distracted) 8 year old boy to do something OVER, and OVER, and OVER, and OVER again.
Even if he DOES obey the first time, it usually wasn't done fully or the right way.
For example when told to throw his trash away, I find in NEXT to the trash can. Not IN the trash can.
When told to hang up his jacket in his closet, I find it on the FLOOR of his closet.
When told to put his reading log in his agenda, I find it on the floor next to his backpack.
Then there is the completely ignoring our commands.
"Turn off the tv. It's dinnertime." And he doesn't listen.
Calling him and him NOT coming.
Telling him to stop wrestling with his sister, and he continues.
You get the idea.
We have tried to talk to him.
Show him how he is wasting his time by having to go back and correct it.
Showed him in the Bible what God says about obedience, and honoring your father and mother.
All of it seems to go in one ear and out the other.
So I came up with another idea.
I got a roll of quarters and told him, "Dylan, this TEN DOLLARS is for you. You can have it one week from today. You can spend it on ANYTHING you want."
His eyes lit up.
"The only thing is, EVERY time we have to tell you twice (or three or four times) to do something, you owe us a quarter."
He opened the roll and we put it in the pretty clay bowl he made and it is sitting on my nightstand.
He was pretty excited thinking of what $10 could buy him.
(Yes, Payton is photobombing this picture!)
Then reality hit as he had to hand over his first quarter.
He asked if he could earn it back.
"Sorry buddy, not for this. You will just have to learn to obey the first time."
I am praying that this technique works for us! I will let you know how it goes!
And by the way - as of tonight he was already down $1.25.
I am having the same problem with my 11 year old. We have tried just about everything, maybe I will try this.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be working! So far he has lost a lot of money, BUT he is obeying quicker! If you try it, let me know how it goes for you.
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