I am getting a bit of spring fever. I started the semester with zip and zeal and didn't really mind the backside numbing hours spent in front of the computer. But as the months drag on and daffodils pop up outside my window--taunting me and calling to me--I find I am having a hard time focusing on my homework.
Take now for instance. I should be finishing my Shakespeare assignment or working on my Anthropology essay, but here I sit typing away on this blog (the danger of doing classes online is that you are forever online--where an over abundance of distractions are a mere click away!). One professor even sent out a note about getting refocused and plugging through until the end. She advised us to seek new forms of motivation.
This didn't really work that well on me, but it gave me ideas. . . for motivating my children. I have mentioned the point system my girls work from before--they earn points for chores, homework, good behavior, that they can then convert to money. They used to just save up until they could buy something they wanted, but recently we opened savings accounts for them and they mostly deposit their money. Hannah is saving up money to buy a Mac Book.
The problem with putting most of your money into an account and not getting rewards right away? The points l o o s e s o m e o f t h e i r a p p e a l . Telling them they will earn points, or loose points does not motivate like it used to. So yesterday while I was trying to get Hannah to do her chores and was met with grumpiness, I came up with a brilliant idea. The girl loves music. So I told her if she cleaned her room, the playroom, and her bathroom I would let her download a song from itunes to put on her ipod.
The girl has never cleaned so fast. Instant gratification certainly has appeal.
But of course I can't let her download a song every time she does her chores, she still needs to learn to save. So I made a deal with her: For every five points she earns for the bank she can put her sixth point towards a song (points are a buck so that works out well for the .99 songs).
Voila! Motivation.
What do you do to motivate your children?
2 comments:
Wow! That's SUCH a good idea!!
Right now I just use candy to bribe...I mean "motivate" my kids, but not always. We're not there yet. They're barely capable of keeping themselves still let alone cleaning an entire room.
But I love the downloading idea!! Definitely keeping THAT in my back pocket for later!!
Thanks for the great idea! I have been searching for motivation....it will work great for Kason and Jaicee, but probably not Halle. I am going to give it a try!
Good job on the homework....the thought of it gives me a nauseated feeling!
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