Token Jar

A few weeks ago at MOPS, a lady with 5 grown boys was given a talk about disciplining your children. One of the things she did with her kids was a token system.  I was inspired. My boys in general are good kids. I just had been having problems getting them to do what I wanted WHEN I asked. Eventually, I'd get frustrated and start yelling and then finally spanking. So our new system (bit different than hers, but same concept): The kids get to put a token (poker chip) in our jar for doing things quickly and the first time they are asked. They also get them for good manners at the table, being extra kind to each other, doing school quickly and correctly, staying in their rooms during ALL of quiet time (this is a nice one), helping with the trash, etc. Sometimes, they have to take one for disobedience. When they together have filled up our jar, we take them for a special treat. Last time it was ice cream, but we have plans for skating, movie theater, bowling, whatever we can think of. The idea of it being one jar was for them to encourage each other to be good, too. They haven't quite understood that concept and are quite competitive about getting to put tokens in. I made sure to get a plastic (not breakable) jar in their reach so they could do the tokens themselves. I knew if I had to do them all, it would never get done. All in all, it's been going pretty well. I've told several friends and they are trying a system, too. Maybe, we'll all get some well-behaved kids in the end.