Who Doesn't Like a Little Reward?

I am trying a new reward system for my kids and I thought I would share it, because it was so simple to put together.
First: I found a connect-the-dots picture online and printed it on bright paper. I printed a different design and different color for each child.

Second: I created a list of rewards and printed them off on the same color paper for each child. I made the rewards simple, and free/cheap. For my kids I did things that I new each of them would like - i.e. Holland might get an extra TV show, Kortnie might get an extra 30 min. with her friends, Skylar might choose a trip to the library. Other rewards include - staying up an extra 15 min., 20 minutes of playtime with Mom or Dad, an ice cream cone from arctic circle, a trip to the dollar store, a treat from the candy bowl, an extra story at bed time, etc. I just tried to think of the things my kids always ask for and then I turned them into a reward.

Third: I bought small containers to put the reward slips in (I got these containers from WalMart in their party section for $0.49 a piece - but if you don't want to buy anything you could clean out an old soup can and cover it in paper or us an old cup or box. If you don't mind spending a little more WalMart also had really cute glass containers for about $2.00)

Fourth: I put the connect the dots into sheet protectors and used vis-a-vis wet erase markers to write their names on the sheets and draw stars on a few of the numbers - I tried to do it in intervals where there were more dots in between each star.

How it works.
Pick a problem/habit that you want your kids to improve in. Decide how they will improve that behavior in order to get to connect-a-dot. For example we are working on night time wetting. Every time one of my kids wakes up dry they get to connect a dot.
When they get to a dot that you have turned into a star, they get to pick a prize from the rewards jar. It might be something small or big, but half the fun is the surprise.
The best part is is that once they have filled up the chart, erase with a wet cloth and start a new goal! This could be for doing daily chores, homework, not fighting with siblings, eating all their dinner, etc. My only suggestion is only do one goal at a time.
Hope this is useful for some of you!



 

Wrong Message

For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Kory took the day off work and we went to our rec center to swim as a family. The kids have been wanting to go for a long time and I keep putting it off for a few reasons. 1st - I don't want to take four kids swimming by myself. I don't feel like I would be able to keep a close enough eye on them to be safe. 2nd - It is winter. I don't like being cold and often the rec center water is not very warm. 3rd. I hate getting into a bathing suit. I am not sure that any grown woman LOVES getting into her swim suit. It is not because I think I am super unattractive in a swim suit, I just don't like to show that much of my ultra white self. Well we went and we had a great time, but the reason I bring up swimming is because I worry that I may have said something about myself that day in front of my girls. I try really hard to not be too uncomfortable with my flaws in front of them because I want them to have a good self image of themselves.
Somehow this message has not hit home with Skylar. Maybe she is just getting old enough to have friends that talk more about these things. I am not sure what it is, but my BEAUTIFUL, SMART, TALENTED, LITTLE Girl thinks she is FAT! Yes FAT not PHAT. We were driving to dance yesterday and she said from the backseat that she shouldn't have worn her short shorts because her thighs are TOO FAT!
Have you met my daughter? Of all the things she is overweight is not one of them. Now if she was overweight that would not be a terrible thing, but she is only 30th percentile for weight and 70th percentile for height. In her pediatricians words "Tall and Skinny."
I tried to talk to her and tell her how NOT FAT she was, but this only upset her more and by the end of our conversation she was crying. I felt terrible. I don't want her to have such a negative self image of herself. Especially at only 8 years old.
Does anyone have any advice on how to help my 8 year old have a better self image?

Mr. McFrugal

When Kory and I were dating he once told me that his sisters used to call him Mr. McFrugal because he was such a cheapskate. He is still very frugal and I feel like I am also frugal, so why doesn't the dollar seem to be stretching for us these days?
I went to the store yesterday and it seems that I just can't make my money stretch the same way I used to. I use coupons, I shop sales and clearance racks, my kids live by hand-me-downs. And we do just fine, but it feels like more and more the "I wanna's" keep sneaking up on me. I feel like I am having a hard time balancing the needs and the wants - both for the present and the future. I am more and more wanting new clothes, new accessories for the house, a nice trip, a new car, etc. All these wants don't fit in with our short team goals (sticking to a monthly budget) or our long term goal (becoming financially independent). Yet, I still have the "I wanna's"
I was watching a show on TV, I think it was called Extreme Cheapskates and was thinking - "What can I do to be more frugal and still feel like I am not depriving my family?"
So these are my questions for all of you - What do you do to save money? How do you balance the needs/wants and feel at peace with your "I wanna's"? 

Come What May...

Snap Shots of 2011 -
(Since my last post)

May -

May 21, 2011 - All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!

May 21, 2011 - Sky and Koko at their tumbling review.

 

 

 

 

May 22, 2011 - Holland making the most out of the new renovations!

May 25, 2011 - Koko's Preschool Graduation. With one of her teachers Ms. Mercedes

 

June -

Renovations Continue!

July 17, 2011 - Koko decided she wanted a hair cut. She gave it to herself.

 

June 3, 2011 - "I'm a Barbie Girl!"

June 18, 2011 - Primary Pioneer Trek

June 23, 2011 - Skylar's First Science Fair Project. She made salt crystals and sugar crystals and then compared and contrasted them. The sugar crystals did not turn out so it was a learning experience for her that some experiments don't always go the way you want.

 

 

Family Pics - June 24, 2011

 

July -

Koko with her Cousin

More Camp Out Fun

July 2, 2011 - Lukas at the Denos Family Camp Out.

July 8, 2011 - My Baby turned 1 on July 6th, but we had the party a few days later at a park near our house.  Lukas was just starting to walk by himself.

I think Holland was more excited about the cake than he was.

But he got into it after a little while

His Birthday Blanket. I make all my kids a blanket when they turn one.

July 9, 2011 - Playing with Cousins at Liberty Park

July 11, 2011 - More fun with cousins, this time at Kennecot.

July 15, 2011 - Camping with the family up Spanish Fork Canyon

July 21, 2011 - A day at Lagoon. We are all wet after going on Rattle Snake Rapids

The Renovation is Done!

Skylar at the new Piano

July 26, 2011 - Sky on her first day of 2nd Grade.

August - 

 

August 2, 2011 - Hollands first day of Preschool. He did NOT want his picture taken.

August 3, 2011 - Kortnie's first day of kindergarten.

August 6, 2011 - Kory's Family Work Party

August 18, 2011 - Cowabunga Bay with friends

 

August 19, 2011 - More water fun at the Splash Park.

August 20, 2011 - Kory's Mom's 80th Birthday Party.

September -

September 4, 2011 - Some of our Harvest from this year. The boys loved helping in the garden. Holland especially loved the fresh raspberries from our raspberry bush.

 

 

September 5, 2011 - Labor Day, we spent the day up Little Cottonwood Canyon with Kory's Brother and his family. We played Volley Ball and roasted hot dogs.

September 17, 2011 - Koko's first friend party. We had a Rock Star birthday party. She loved it.

At the party playing Just Dance Kids.

All the little rock star's with their tambourines.

 October -

October 1, 2011 - Kortnie got to play fall soccer for the first time. Her team was called the Orange Tigers. She said soccer was not as much fun as she thought it would be. We will see if she decides to play again in the spring. She decided to play soccer instead of take another tumbling class.

October 4, 2011 - Herriman Fire Station - This was Holland's first field trip.

October 19, 2011 - Kortnie had her first Science Fair in her Kindergarten class. She did an experiment to see what brand of bubble gum had the longest lasting flavor. She loves gum, so this was a perfect project for her.

October 31, 2011 - Halloween - We had a SUPER Halloween this year.

This was just Kortnie's stash. Sky had just as much and the boys got plenty too. It is January 3rd and we still have tons of candy. I think it is past time to throw it away!

November - 

November 5, 2011 - Sky's 8th Birthday Party. We had a baking party. The girls decorated their own aprons and we made pizza and then decorated cakes.

November 18, 2011 - Now that Sky is 8, she gets to go to Activity Day's at church. Her very first activity was a Mother/daughter activity and the mom's had to make the girls a dress out of wrapping paper. It was so much fun and she loved it.

One of her Baptism picks. It was freezing the day we took them, but she was such a good sport and had so much fun being the center of attention. 

 

December - 

December 3, 2011 - Skylar was baptized by her Dad. It was a very special day for our family. I told her that she couldn't be old enough to be baptized because that would make me old. She reassured me that I would not be old until she was 10. Whew! I got 2 more years before I am OLD!

December 5, 2011 - Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet came to visit again. We had a traditional Dutch meal and then watched a movie when we were interrupted by their visit.

December 6, 2011 - We had to say goodbye to our wonderful family friends the Jones Family. We miss you guys!

Aren't they cute! Hopefully they will fall madly in love in about 20 years - but not before!

December 12, 2011 - We went downtown to see the Christmas lights. We tried going last year, but as we were getting ready to go, found out that our basement was flooded. We have flooded four more times this year. We never flooded before our basement was finished and now that it is we have had terrible luck!

All bundled up on the temple steps.

December 24, 2011 - Christmas Eve Pajama's. We had a wonderful Christmas this year filled with lots of family time. It was wonderful to go to parties and enjoy the Holiday's.

Other notes of interest. -
Lukas continues to grow in leaps and bounds. He is not talking as much as he should be, but he loves to wrestle his brother, dance, sing, play with cars and animals, and look at books.
Holland also loves to wrestle his brother, loves to play outside and watch TV. He loves to pick out his own clothes and likes to go to preschool although he doesn't ever want to actually work once he is there.
Kortnie lost her first tooth. Is enjoying her time in kindergarten and is learning so quickly. She is doing really well with her reading and is excellent at math. She is on the Mini-Prep team at dance.
Skylar is loving school, dance, piano, tumbling, reading new books, playing with friends, helping out with her brothers and sister and just being busy.
I quit my job at TA after 6 1/2 years. I loved it there, but had a new, better paying job and it was just too much time away from the family. I lost my new job and made teaching dance my job instead of my hobby.  I am busy as wife, mom, primary president, and dance teacher.
Kory celebrated 16 years at his job this year. He is loving football season and any time he gets to spend with his family.