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The Mess Incentive
I am constantly struggling with ways to keep “encourage” my kids to keep their rooms clean. I know everyone has different rules on this subject, but in this house, the room has to be kept clean, or do we don’t get other privileges. Each child has a different definition of “clean”. For some, it means there are no smelly socks or dirty underwear on the floor. Clean! For others, it is bed made militant style, toys arranged, just so, and then a pile of art work on the desk. Oh well, “cela est la vie” !Â
This is a sampling of what we found this morning….needless to say, two kids aren’t getting any richer today.
Miss Teen wins the award for best collection of teen paraphernalia, missing items: Cell Phone and Ipod
Oh I think I found the Ipod, or maybe just the head phones. The phone is surgically attached to her fingers, removable during school and night time only.
Mr. Red’s sports collection. I thought it was Football season, but we have Baseball Season going on here too.
Poor child, so tired from the grueling daily Football practice, actually shutting drawers requires way to much effort.
We recently had a mini-workshop in what exactly a clean room means, according to mom’s standards. The reward for a clean, I mean, SUPER clean room is this strip of paper will be found on said child’s bed at end of school day.Â
“Congratulations, your clean room has earned you $2 worth towards stuff of your choice, Clothes, Itunes, toys, etc.”
We have been using this system for about a week now, and so far, it is working very well. Not everyone gets it every day, but nothing motivates my kids like $$ for buying “stuff”.
By the way, I am in the middle of an office makeover. Do you think someone will give me one of these certificates when it is completed?
Mr. Red thought he would be helpful and take apart the chairs. Hmmmm…..hadn’t mentioned that I was dismantling the chairs.
I picked up this solid wood door for free from Craig’s list. I am wracking my brain to find a way to fit it into the scheme of the office, it was free, and I love it.Â
Stay tuned for the big “reveal” and feel free to send me gift certificates for cleaning my office.
au revoir – GTC
PSÂ Kitchen Makeover completed!!!! Pictures coming soon.Â
Great idea for rewards. A paper in hand is worth… As to the door, hang it sideways on your long wall, with shelves to hold more “stuff” – uh, I mean supplies. Or make a desk top out of it. Even on saw horses it would look great. OK, a little hard to write on, I agree. (Put a piece of plexiglass over the top)
I remember a story of how I was tutoring my girls on what I thought was a properly clean kitchen at the end of the day. One morning I called in the girls (4 of them) and asked “which one cleaned up the kitchen last night, it is just the way it should be…”, well, I had done it and forgotten about it…