Make your punishments creative!
Time-outs get way old and definitely don't work for every little thing. I've noticed some snarkiness lately in the children. It seems to start at the top of the totem pole (*) and works it's snarky little way down. This new snarkiness is showing it's face in the form of a "Whatever!"... usually accompanied by an eye roll.
Warnings and time outs could be used here, but sheesh it gets old, and we as parents really do need to switch it up now and then. For effectiveness.
In this case, I decided to instate a Whatever Jar. Whenever a 'Whatever' is muttered - a quarter (I know it looks like a penny in there... in my house, any coin is called a quarter) gets placed in the Whatever Jar.
After announcing the jar and the rules and why it's bad to be snarky to Mom (my reason? Because Mommy doesn't want you to turn out to be bratty kids), the jar worked pretty well. There are only 3 coins in the Whatever Jar tonight.
Remember that purple * up there? It turns out 1 of those coins is from me. I got caught saying 'Whatever'! I guess it really does start at the tippy top of the totem pole. :-/
<3, Tabi :D
"Whatever, Tabi !!!" he, he, he ;-)
ReplyDeleteI find words coming out of my mouth that the kids say on a regular... why are they soooo easy to pick up??
Put a quarter in the jar, young lady.
Delete;)
So, if who gets the contents of the whatever jar? The one who goes the longest without having to put money in it?
ReplyDeleteAre you calling dibs?
DeleteWell, I hadn't thought of that but... I could use the money!
Delete