Summer Plan Mini-Series: Rules and Consequences

{This is the second in a series of three posts; the first was Kids’ Chores and the third will be Fun Stuff on Monday.}

I’ve got to admit that this one is more difficult for me.  I’m good at making rules, but I’m not the best at doling out consequences.  I tend to just get mad and make threats, which really isn’t doing anyone any good and will make for an unhappy summer.  Hence the system; it lets everybody know what they’re supposed to do, including me.

Rules:

• no TV or screen time before noon
  
• morning chores (chore wheel, make bed, etc) need to be done by 9:00 am
  
• I will supervise chore sticks between 9-10:00 am
  
• no complaining
  
• no arguing/bickering

Consequences:

• if morning chores are not done by 9:00, no TV/screen time for the day
  
• if there are complaints about chores or being asked to do anything, pull a job from the complaint jar
  
• if two or more kids are bickering, they will do an activity together until they can do so pleasantly

The complaint jar contains more craft sticks with chores that only need to be done occasionally (and several of them are slightly more unpleasant than the everyday jobs.)  Some examples:  clean out van, sweep porch, wash kitchen table legs and chairs, wash front windows, wipe baseboards.

For bickering, the offenders will pull one stick from either the complaint jar or the boredom jar (the boredom jar contains fun activities; more on that Monday).  Then they will do that activity together.  If they continue to argue, then they will continue pulling chores (only from the complaint jar this time) and working together until they can do it without conflict.

This method is untested in this household, so we’ll see how it goes.  Making them work together could either be genius or a disaster.  My hope is that after any of the consequences have been exacted a couple of times, the offending behavior will occur less and less frequently, ultimately leading to world peace.

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