The more you catch your children doing something good or right, the more they do things good or right. So how do we get in the practice of catching them doing good? And what is the best way to reward their behavior? Well, there is obviously more than just one answer, but since we want to educate kids as well as teach them good behavior we suggest the following:

Make a chart of 100 boxes - 10 x 10. I know, I know, I don’t like charts either, but this idea was cool. So, you make a chart of 10 squares x 10 squares (just like the good old times tables charts). Number or letter up the side and along the bottom to make it more like a graph. (This is to help teach plotting points) Now, everytime your children do something good (do what they are told right away, put their things away instead of leaving a mess, showing respect or good manners, etc) you have them put their name on the “Oh WOW” chart–or what ever you decide to call it.

When the chart is filled with names then you get to roll dice or draw the coordinances out of a hat. The more things they did right, the more times their name is on the chart, the more likely they are to get a prize. Prizes can be anything you find is most appropriate for your income & your kids’ interests. They really shouldn’t be a HUGE deal because you really want them to do good because they want to and not because they will get a REALLY COOL PRIZE if they do. So, you get a random coordinant, now have your children find who’s name is in the corresponding square. (Catch everyone doing good sometimes & have plots where everyone could win the prize.)

Note: When you catch them doing good, it’s a great idea to praise the act and not the person. (This goes with critisism too.) If you praise the act they then, in their own minds, praise themselves & build their own self-esteem. Self-esteem is just that…SELF-esteem. They have to build it themselves, NOBODY can do that for them. That’s why the technic of praising or critisizing the ACT & not the child is SOOOO effective.

Now let’s see:
We catch them doing good
The good ACT is recognized
They build self-esteem
They desire to do good more often
They learn probiblity
They learn how to plot points

Learning is FUN! Just be creative!