Friday, February 27, 2009

Penny Jars


At my dear mother's request ;) I am blogging. Nothing all that exciting or super cute has been going around here. Actually, if anything, I am loosing my mind. My kids are driving me insane . . . I think they have decided to get rid of me by getting the funny farm to come and take me away, thus, there secret plot to driving me crazy with their bickering. Our home has been filled with kids bickering, arguing and being mean. I have talked before about our penny jars. We started this reward system last summer and it gave my kids some motivation to change their attitudes. They can gain a penny when we catch them dealing with a situation with a good attitude and the opposite, they can loose one by dealing with a bad attitude. It has also morphed into doing there chores without us asking to gain a penny. At the end of the week, if they have 10 pennies or more, they get to go to bed an hour later than our normal bedtime. The past few weeks, our penny jars have been going empty. Lazy kids and bad attitudes have taken over my home. Mike and I are again, joining forces and cracking down. Now, not only are my kids loosing pennies for there bad behavior and attitudes, they are learning verses. I love slapping the kids with a bible verse for them to memorize or write 10 times as an added "punishment." Which really it isn't a punishment at all. We are after our kids hearts and what better way to change the behavior than to go after the heart, the source of the problem to begin with! I love that they are hiding God's Word in there hearts and also gaining some understanding at why we don't act this way to begin with. God's Word, not just mom and dad, is telling them and guiding them in the path they should be walking.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Sarah. I know what you mean about the kids driving you crazy. Ours have been really naughty lately, too. It got me to really thinking and praying about it a couple of weeks ago, and God told me that the reason our kids were getting so out of control is because we were not spending enough time with them, and we were all watching way too much tv, and we weren't spending any time in the Word with each other as a family. So, we've been turning the tv off, shutting the armoire doors, and spending more time with the children as a family, and doing bible study together every night. things seem to be getting better around here. I definitely think it helps to keep reminding them of God's word, and to just spend more time teaching them how God would want them to act. The penny jars sounds like a very good idea. I sure hope it helps. And hang in there. Hugs. Beth.

Sarah said...

Very good point Beth! All things I need to keep in check and be doing. There is always room for improvement in my own life!

Jessica L said...

Such a good idea to add in the Bible verse. I have two youth readers in my house... I may have to institute that are a new rule.

I do want to point out, however, that your "penny jar" is full of silver coinage which would prompt me to believe that it's costing you more than a pretty little penny. :) If only the kids still thought that all the coins were worth the same thing. Now they know better.... Dang smart little things. :)