kids behavior plan ... keepin' it positive

This weekend I embarked on a quest to slow down, re-evaluate my parenting style and reflect on what is best for my children. I read this inspiring post by Serene Journey that was timed just perfectly: Show Your Kids You Love Them. Serene Journey is one of my favorite blogs to read and she has a sixth sense of posting inspiring blogs exactly when I need them!

Since school begun about month ago Ethan has began testing our limits at home. In kindergarten he is learning about rewards and consequences based on his behavior. So, I decided to look into behavior charts. Charts make sense to kids and they take pride in a page full of stars or stickers showing their good behavior.

After some research, here are the charts we put in place ...

Behavior Chart

Behavior Chart Reward Cards

Strike 3 Chart

Chore Chart

Here are blank charts I created for you to download and use for your personal use if you'd like:

• Behavior Chart
  
• Behavior Chart Reward Cards - These reward cards show activities they can choose based on the number of happy faces they receive for the week.
• Strike 3 Chart - I felt it was important to also have a chart for behaviors that are just not letting up so, I created a Strike 3 Chart. After the 3rd strike a negative consequence will occur. the goal here is to help them recognize and change their bad behavior before it gets to 3 strikes.
• Daily Chores Chart

I found this article on About.com very helpful when working on my charts: Charts & Chips - Using A Behavior Modification System With Your Child.

I know a big part of our kids behaviors are directly related to us as parents and how we behave and react. Being consistent with our discipline, keeping our cool, accentuating the positives and showing our kids we love them are important things to remember to do each and every day. It's so easy to fall back into a "No, No, No" routine and forget about giving positive re-enforcement, encouragement and the ability to make their own choices. I know this all to well.

Our action plan: Throughout the day we give stars as chores are completed and every night before bed we review the behavior chart together and we reward happy faces for the day. I have already seen that the boys find these new behavior charts empowering and they help keep me and Bert on track with consistent, positive discipline.

Do you have any tips that help keep you on track and your kids eager to behave?

holiday weekend fun

Although the holiday weekend started a little rocky with the boys behavior and my own parenting struggles, we ended up having a pretty busy family fun filled weekend when all was said and done. I got my act together with some behavior and chore charts and I'll go into that more in the next post. For now, I wanted to share some fun family time photo highlights:

Saturday morning rain storm

Sunday trip to the Natural History Museum

Labor day picnic at the park and afternoon dance party

parenting woes

I am in need of some good old fashioned parenting advice and support right about now. I am day 1 into our 3 day weekend and the boys are making me nuts. Hudson is simply too loud. I have repeated "Hudson, please stop screaming!" all flippin day long. After 3 time outs, I'm still saying the same darn thing ... "Hudson, please stop screaming!" Ethan on the other hand has embarked on a whole new adventure with school; with that has come a new found independence (which is great) and a new found defiant attitude (not so great). My standard parenting "techniques" are falling flat and I need a pick me up. I guess I know what I'll be doing later this evening when everyone else is asleep ... I'll be arming myself with some new tricks to try out for the remainder of the weekend. My goal is to get my kids to "want" to do the right things without me getting loud, angry or frustrated. Sounds like a challenge for sure! Are you working on any challenges of your own right now?

painting in progress, weeping willow

Whoa. Looking back at the first post for this painting in progress, it is way different now. In the end, I believe the changes will be for the best but, right now it looks like I have a lot of work left to do. I think overall the feeling of the tree and leaves is much more reminiscent of a weeping willow now but, I miss the depth in colors in the last design. I need to gain that back by adding deeper blues and some yellows.

kids art: painted letters

We played with paint this weekend!

Painting is one of our favorite past times. So much so, that they even cleaned the entire playroom before we were able to began. The boys each painted the first letter of their name. Sorry the photos are so poor. My camera is out of batteries so, I took these with my cell phone.


I have to say the "paint bucket" I put together on our last crafty day made the setup for this project run very smoothly! Everything was setup in the correct order; smocks, tablecloth, letters, paint, and last brushes. This made for a much more relaxing experience for me. Yay!

nature deprived

We desert dwellers are a little nature deprived by now due to the summer's heat but, I do get a little (hot) fresh air in each day as I sit on our shady front porch waiting for the school bus to arrive. We are settling in to our new routine now that school has begun. I guess I'm daydreaming of that new ritual today since I've been indoors all weekend! Being indoors can be pretty productive some times though and this weekend I put myself to work cleaning, cooking, organizing and even squeezed in art projects with the kids and for myself! That feels good.

painting in progress, weeping willow

dandelion

Painting in progress montage

Dandelion painting completed, 7-26-09

Handmade Portraits: Mimi Kirchner

This video made smile. Mimi is lovely and very inspirational. I adore her dolls. The sleeping swaddled babies are precious, the robots so cool, the strong tattooed men are clever and her school boys are so cute (partial to these I'm sure because I have a little school boy of my own). Such care is taken in creating them and so much history is behind the fabrics and the many bits and pieces that make up one of her creations.

veggie frittata

This was an easy all-in-one meal! The southwest hash browns have a kick and made the dish hearty enough for dinner, the broccoli gives it a nice crispness and the rosemary gives it a savory earthy flavor.

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups simply potatoes southwest shredded hash browns
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 4-6 oz of your choice of shredded cheese
  

Directions:

In skillet drizzle some olive oil and add hash browns, broccoli, onions and rosemary. Cook over low-medium heat until the hash browns are golden and the vegetables tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and place into an oven safe dish approx. 8 inches. Beat eggs, water, salt and pepper; pour over hash browns mixture. Top with cheese and paprika. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until eggs are completely set.