So, I have been struggling with how to motivate my children to get their chores and homework done without me nagging them all the time to do it. I spend lots of energy trying to help them and coerce them into keeping up with their responsibilities to this household. My friend in Logan has been implementing a plan for a few years now that is truly amazing. We have been doing it for 3 days and it has been great, no more nagging, fighting or anything else. I think I want to market this, it is so good. We call it "The Bond Family Game of Life" So this is how it works
Everything that is expected of them whether it is brushing their teeth or doing their job has a value to it. For example, if they make their bed they get a Bond buck. If they brush their teeth they get a Bond buck and so forth. But, the opposite applies also. If they say unkind words they lose a Bond buck. If they hit they lose $2. There is also a charge for maid service. If they forget to make their bed and I do it, they owe me double what they would get if they had done it. They also have to pay for privileges. $10 Bond bucks to have a friend over. Depending on what they want, the price of the privilege goes up. It seems to really motivate them to do the things that are required and even do more. Kind deeds is worth $2 bond bucks. So, they are looking for things that they can do to be kind and talk kind. The fighting has decreased in only a few days. We also give them the option of trading in 50 Bond bucks for $10 US dollars. Here is some of it so you can get an idea.
THE BOND FAMILY GAME OF LIFE
Job Description/ Earning/ Consequence
Make bed daily (morning)/ $1.00/ maid service -$2
do daily job/ not/asked $4.00/2.00/ maid service -$2
put away shoes/socks/ $2.00/ maid service -$2
do homework by 5:00 / $3.00 / -$1 every half hour
laundry on assigned days/ $5.00 / maid service -$3
put away school stuff / $1.00 / maid service -$1
obey mom/dad first time / $1.00 / lose $2 each time
brush teeth morn. & night / $1.00 / 0
read daily scriptures / $5.00 / 0
wake up on your own / $1.00/ 0
put away own dishes / $1.00/ maid service $2.00
bed on time / $3.00 / -$2
clean room / $2.00/ maid service -$4
speaking kind words / $1.00 /
kind deed / $2.00
using manners at table / $1.00
shower/ $1.00
cleaning windows / $1.00
change/wash sheets/ $3.00
morning/ evening prayers / $2.00
clean out car / $4.00
read book to Haylee / $1.00
Make/Serve meal (weekly) / $5.00
be ready on time for school/ $1.00
ready for church by 8:30/ $4.00
turn lights off/ $1.00/ maid service -$2
feed Jack / $1.00
take out trash/ $1.00
hitting -$3
tattle telling -$1
teasing of any kind -$2
calling names -$2
yelling -$2
interrupting -$2
eating out of kitchen -$1
leave dirty clothes in laundry room floor -$1 per item
bossing -$2
borrowing without asking -$2
snacking without asking -$2
unkind words/being rude -$2
whining -$2
Cost of Living Weekly: Due Saturday by 5:00
Room and Board: $5.00
Electricity: $3.00
Gas: $2.00
Food $2.00
Phone $1.00
$50.00 dollars earns you these privileges:
Sleepover, movie night, date with mom and dad, bowling, personal item, out for lunch, $10.00, you choose with parents approval.
$30.00 earns you these privileges:
late night, stay up extra hour, $5.00, rent a game or movie, 1 chore pass, Yummies ice cream, dollar store, out for lunch
$15.00 earns you these privileges:
play 2 hours of video or computer games
$10.00 earns you these privileges:
have friends over, go to friends house
Well, I don't know if this makes sense. But, it has worked well for us. I am excite to continue implementing it. Any questions?
7 comments:
that is brilliant! no questions! let me know how it goes:)
Interesting concept ... I like how it's teaching them consequeces (good and bad). I will have to use this for future reference because I think if I gave Jackson $1 he would look at me and proceed rip it up right in front of my face.
I LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing. Keep me updated on how it goes. We are going to attempt to do the same thing.
I love this idea...I especially like the idea that they have to pay for the "bills". Wonderful plan!
I like that idea a lot!!! Especally the room and board, gas, food, etc. Because that gets the kids used to the idea before they actually have to deal with it themselves. Awesome.
Hey Melanie, I have been reading a few of your old blogs because I would really like to get to know you and your family better and become better friends. In the famous words from Sound of Music, "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start." Blogs are such a wonderful tool. I should start one of my own. Anyway, my family has really been struggling with kid motivation and getting jobs done. Having a baby last year seems to have put our home in a perpetual state of juggled chaos with more clutter,frustration, and anger than anyone is happy with. We printed out a copy of your family's plan to see if it could be adapted to meet our family's needs. The tough part would be consistently and fairly keeping track of it all. Perhaps if I read more of these old blogs, I will find out how it worked long term for your family. Our eldest, Addison is getting very excited about the idea after reading over your plan, so maybe we should try it. We could call it "Langston Loot" instead of "Bond Bucks," and it would work about the same.
We are still interested in this idea. We haven't gotten as far as adjusting the plan more fully meet our own family's needs yet, but we are looking into that. We did design and print out the $1 denomination of Langston Loot. I am sorry to say that I don't think that we can afford to apply the same cash value to a Langston Loot dollar as a Bond Buck receives, but I am sure we can work something out that won't break the bank, but will still provide motivation to the kids.
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