Whoop-Powing The Chaos

I recently heard in a Positive Psychology course that there is no such thing as getting rid of a bad habit.  You simply have to replace it with another habit, hopefully a good one.   For most people, with the kids starting back to school, things get a look wack-a-doo in the morning routine.   A few years back, I decided to whoop-pow the chaos and make a change, a great change.  My goal was to encourage my kiddos to become independent children and get them doing what they need to do.  And selfishly, I wanted to have more a little more time to have a coffee and wrap my head around the day in order to make some whoopie!

This week, my kids come down from their rooms with their beds made, clothes on, and ready for breakfast.  I am not showing off!  Just want to share what I wish someone had shared with me when I was living in morning chaos.  You have to bribe these suckers!

First day of school cuties below!!!  Could they fit more in their backpacks?!

And so I give you a mommy's little helper in lieu of yelling and alcohol. It works-guaranteed!  Other mom friends have used this tool and love it. 

Reward/bribe the kids for doing what they need to do with a chart to get them into good habits. We started out calling it a superhero helper list and after good patterns were established, we changed it up to be a chore chart.  When my son was 5-6 years old, he got tickets.  Twenty tickets = an action figure he could "buy."  Over the years, the reward became allowance money for check marks, 25 cents per check.  Periodically, a raise is rewarded.  My daughter Gigi has always gotten allowance money because she is the second child and, well, second, third, fourth, fifth kids get things that the first never would. 

Examples of "charts" are to the left and if you want a copy, email me and I'll send them to you.   cyndy@whoopiequeen.com  You can customize them with pictures of whatever your little ones are into.  And as things become routine, you can get rid of them and add new "projects."

Now, I'm on a mission to get the kids to do laundry and cook a meal at least one night a week.  Alright, laundry may be too ambitious.  However, tonight David Dean is preparing nachos for dinner.  Here comes a chaotic kitchen!


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...Nachos were a hit!  David's dad showed him how to grill the steak and cut up all the toppings.  He said he liked the grill the best and wants to do hamburgers next week.  It's a little Daddy/David grill time.  Boys do love fire.  See, bribery works!