Chore/Behavior Chart

Lately we've had trouble with having our daughter complete her chores and keep her behavior in check. We decided to create a chart.

There are many different chore charts and behavior charts out there. I have not been able to find just one that I like. I also didn't want two different charts floating around our house. So I found different examples of charts and combined them to make one chart that fits with our family's needs. Essentially it's a bunch of ideas put into one.

All items I either had already or purchased from Walmart.  The supplies used were round sticky magnets, dryerase magnetic board, ribbon, tape, my computer, and a laminating machine.

First I searched Pinterest for different ideas of chore and behavior charts. I went to many different websites and looked at all the different types that they have. I made sure to find items that I would be able to use for free.

Next I printed out the different ideas that I liked best. I then wrote on note paper how I wanted it to look like. This helped me organize my thoughts.

Once I have my thoughts together I started creating with pic monkey and Microsoft Word the different items I would need for the chart.

I laminated all of the important parts that would be needed for our chart. I then placed magnets on the back of each laminated piece. Every piece was cut out individually. I laid them all out on our dry erase magnetic board.

After messing around with a bunch of different layouts I finally decided on one.

Our chart has several different parts to it. There is the upper part where it's divided by the days of the week as well as things to do, things that are done and the total for the day.

The to do column has a list of chores she needs to complete for the day. When she's completed them she moves them to the done pile. 

At the bottom there is a how's my behavior doing section. It is divided up into five sections. Awesome where she can earn three tickets, good where she can earn two tickets, start of the day, warning, and loss of privilege.

Some loss of privileges we may use are loss of television, loss of innotab time, loss of play date, or loss of activity.

 Each day she can earn up to three tickets. At the end of the week she adds up the total amount of tickets and can redeem them for a prize.

They're only five choices of prizes for two different prize tiers. We did 7 to 14 and 15 to 21 tickets earned. She may pick out one prize from each section depending on how many tickets she earned for the week.

Some prizes we used were pick out dinner, pick out dessert, rent a Redbox movie, pick out a family activity, and pick out a game. These are just some examples of the prizes we used.

It's not perfect but hopefully it will work for us. 

Frozen Halloween Update

Late last week the Princess received a package from her Mimi. Inside was the Elsa costume! Needless to say she has changed her mind and wants to be Elsa for Halloween. :-) Such a fickle pickle she is ;-)

The excitement she had once she opened it was ridiculous.

6 Things No One Told Me About Having a 6 Year Old

So we are going through a rough patch of it I guess. It's like having a 6 going on 16 year old sometimes! So I have decided to make a list of the 6 things no one told me about having a 6  year old. (those that know me will understand why this is hard for me ;-)

1.  They question everything and have an answer to contradict what you tell them. Especially when they don't like the answer they gave you. Mom what color is the sky? Blue. No it's not it's green. 

2.  Stuck somewhere between being independent and not quite so. At least in our house she is capable of doing things but does not always want to or want to try to. 

3.  Making decisions is like asking her to throw away a favorite toy or something. She can't do it.

4.  You can't trick them into thinking homework is fun. They are too smart now a days to be swayed into thinking this worksheet is awesome!

5.  Every in justice in their lives is the end of the world. No you cannot wear make up. But whhhhyyyy? I'm big enough. Older girls do,  it's not fair! Mommmmyyyyyy!

6.  Cleaning your room is sacrilegious.

A Tale of a Frozen Halloween Costume

There once was a fair Princess from a not so far away land where she was asked by her Mother what she wanted to be for Halloween. Like many other Princess' from the other kingdoms this fair maiden wanted to either be Queen Elsa or Princess Anna. When she went to open up her dress up bin she was disappointed that her Queen Elsa dress was short unlike her Princess Anna one. So she picked up her Princess Anna dress and decreed to all the land, "I shall be Princess Anna for Halloween!"

Now I was happy she picked something we already owned but sad she picked something like everyone else. Last year she was Olivia the Pig :-) If I was uber creative and motivated I'd make my hubs dress as Kristoff or his favorite Olaf.

Rambling: Age bias

I'm not sure about any of you but I experience a lot of age bias by other parents. Meaning because I look/am younger the older parents either think I'm not responsible or loose if you catch my drift. Many people are choosing to wait to get married which then pushes back having children later in life then previous generations. Guess who does not fit that mold.

Several years ago at my daughter's old daycare I had a parent come up to me and ask me why I thought my child should attend the daycare since I was a teenage single Mom; she also asked why I was bringing my accident child to such a great daycare when there were other centers in town for people like me.   HELLO???!!! First of all not all teen Mothers are bad. I have seen/known some very awesome ones. Next who the hell do you think you are to come up to me and say that especially in front of my then 2 year old?! I'm sorry I am not what you think a Mother should look like.

I was married for 2 years prior to getting pregnant but since we got married at what is now considered young (22 & 24 yrs) I am obviously some young, irresponsible, uncaring, parent who let's their child live in chaos. WRONG! I am an uptight, over protective, strict, structured, loving 32 year old parent of a 6 year old. I am involved in her life and put her first. I'm sorry if that doesn't fit your hoity-toity view of an appropriate aged parent. Find something better to waste your time on.

Wedding Anniversary

Happy 8th wedding anniversary to my wonderful husband. We have been together as a couple for 10 years and have been through a lot. He is my best friend, my rock, my heart and soul. Thank you baby for coming on this crazy journey with me.

Friendship Defined by a First Grader

 

Today we invited one of her friends to come over tomorrow and play. While this was being set up she informed me that she knows what friendship is.

So I asked what is friendship?

O: Well (insert friends name here) told me all about it.
Me: And what did she say?

O: That friendship is being kind to each other, it's helping out a friend if they need it like when they fall, friendship is being nice and helping each other.

Me: :-)  That's great! What do you think of what your friend told you?
O: That's what it is Mom so that makes her my best friend even though we're not in the same class this year.  We have friendship like that.

My heart filled with this and I looked over at my husband who was smiling. After she walked away we discussed how wonderful it was for her to have such a great friend.

It seems now a days those basic principles on friendship are no longer followed.  I hope they continue to grow their friendship and support each other the next few years with everything that's waiting for them as they grow.

I just can't stop smiling.