The Running Man and I sat down to make sure we had the same procedures come bedtime.  Bath and teeth, followed by books and then lights out.  We came up with some strategies that we would both use if Plan A didn’t produce sleep.  The logic was, if our approach was consistent, our adorable would eventually quit trying all the funny business and just go to sleep.

Around the same time,  I went to a discipline workshop at our preschool looking for some ideas.  The speaker provided some sound advice on many different issues that parents were having but what really stuck with me was the mantra,

“Reward the behavior you would like repeated.”

This, I later realized, is perhaps the over-arching answer to any problem you are having with your adorables (or anyone, as I think of it).

So I immediately put these reward charts into play…

Really anything that you’d like your adorables to practice warrants the reward chart.  In our home, adorable #1 gets stickers for clean-up and a good bedtime routine.  Adorable #2, who is only 2 1/2 and doesn’t fully understand (or frankly care about) the sticker concept, receives them for clean-up.  This type of reward cards are available in any teacher store or office supply store that has a teacher aisle.

When the chart is full, the adorables receive a special treat, sometimes a very small toy, or a special outing.  Because he has the opportunity to receive 2 stickers/day, he’s on track to finish his card about every 12-13 days, so plan the reward accordingly.

Whatever the reward, the collecting of stickers is WORKING!  We haven’t had a multi-hour bedtime marathon in a long time, and clean-up is often initiated by them to get their stickers.

Since his card was full, we made a very special outing to a huge indoor play area nearby:

Kid heaven!

And needless to say, bedtime was a breeze after this place…

“Reward the behavior you would like repeated.”

What type of reward systems do you have in place in your home?  What’s worked for you?