Never work with animals or children ...
Especially children. Although at least they don't crap inside. Well, after a while anyway. Since Storm's initiation as an agent almost two weeks ago, she's only laid "landmines" inside (downstairs where she sleeps) once, the day after her "passing out parade". She's certainly learnt manners quicker than the kids. She'll now sit and stay while I get her "tucker" ready, place it on the floor and rummage around abit and won't move now untill I give her the command to "eat".
Can't say the same for the kids. We introduced a "points chart" for each Borg a few weeks ago, an idea we got from a friend. This has the week days across the top, and a list of "tasks" down the side. Most of the tasks are easy things, like getting up, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, getting dressed, making beds, helping clean up etc, and a few more "challenging" ones for their age to encourage development. There's also space for extras and initiative. Each task is required to be completed sucessfully to earn a point (tick or star), without being asked more than twice, within reasonable time limits and no complaints. Points can be lost too for bad behaviour - so no more yelling or idle threats!
For the week using our chart, it's possible for the kids to earn 112 point (16 tasks per day), plus initiative and bonus points. We start the chart on Saturday, so the rewards can be given on the weekend for the previous week. For now, the end of week rewards are as follows: 50 points = an extra hour up on Friday or Sat night, 70 = a kiddies magazine (aprox $5) 100 points = a free choice reward up to $10, 120 points (requiring initiative + extras!) = ALL the rewards for the week! The tasks and rewards should be discussed with the kids input so that they agree to it and have more of an interest, and should evolve over time to suit their ages.
Desite our six year old saying "I wish the points chart never happend, it's tearing our family apart", it's been very successful in positively modifying their behaviour and making things easier for us grown-ups, especially getting things moving in the morning. A great example, the morning after my pre-Christmas work dinner, when I was feeling rather "fuzzy" and had to get the kids off to school by myself on time, I offered up 3 bonus points each if they did ALL their morning "tasks" without me having to ask them - and they did!! We made it on time :)
I think it's important when starting the chart to make the rewards reachable, and something the kids will appreciate, but not neccessarily expensive. In the first two weeks, they only managed 60 odd points, so got to stay up. But in the third week they both got 78 points, scoring themselves a kiddies magazine each, which sparked much more interest in doing the right thing now they realize they can get a tangible reward for their efforts, and WE get rewarded too!!
What? No talk of mobile phones and Mini's? Oh, ok then ...
The JasJam still has it's quirks, but they happen less often now I'm used to its "ways". I've learnt to use the "Device lock" so I can listen to MP3's without something happening unintentionally, but the Media Player menu to access music from the storage card is still unreasonably clumsy. Installing "Spb Pocket Plus" has resolved many WM5 issues I had, especially making it easier to close down programs after use, instead of them just minimising. Enough already, I'll just say I'm happy with the purchase and it's proving to be a useful "electronic brain".
The Mini - I took to Peddars suspension the other week for a shake on their machine. Fortunately none of the bog fell out - of course that's because there is none ;) Without any bull, they gave me a big list of stuff that's stuffed and a quote of $1500 to fix it! I had to sit down - for two days and I still haven't recovered from the shock. I was expecting maybe $500, but there was over $600 just for labour. I'd also like to replace the drum brakes with discs also so it will stop, which totals to a whopping $3000 needed on the running gear! Should I keep, should I sell? The old man reckons I should garage it and get a second car, but then I'll have 2 vehicles to maintain & and the purchase price for a reasonable vehicle is about what I need to spend on the Mini AND I'd still really need to fix it eventually. There's really no other vehicle that I want - 'cept maybe another Mini ;) The two cars I would consider, namely the Subaru Sportswagon and the recently released Suzuki Swift are currently WAY over my obtainable budget. For now, I reckon I'll stick with what I have and love and hunt around for cheaper alternatives to get it bouncing properly.
Merry Christmas!!
Can't say the same for the kids. We introduced a "points chart" for each Borg a few weeks ago, an idea we got from a friend. This has the week days across the top, and a list of "tasks" down the side. Most of the tasks are easy things, like getting up, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, getting dressed, making beds, helping clean up etc, and a few more "challenging" ones for their age to encourage development. There's also space for extras and initiative. Each task is required to be completed sucessfully to earn a point (tick or star), without being asked more than twice, within reasonable time limits and no complaints. Points can be lost too for bad behaviour - so no more yelling or idle threats!
For the week using our chart, it's possible for the kids to earn 112 point (16 tasks per day), plus initiative and bonus points. We start the chart on Saturday, so the rewards can be given on the weekend for the previous week. For now, the end of week rewards are as follows: 50 points = an extra hour up on Friday or Sat night, 70 = a kiddies magazine (aprox $5) 100 points = a free choice reward up to $10, 120 points (requiring initiative + extras!) = ALL the rewards for the week! The tasks and rewards should be discussed with the kids input so that they agree to it and have more of an interest, and should evolve over time to suit their ages.
Desite our six year old saying "I wish the points chart never happend, it's tearing our family apart", it's been very successful in positively modifying their behaviour and making things easier for us grown-ups, especially getting things moving in the morning. A great example, the morning after my pre-Christmas work dinner, when I was feeling rather "fuzzy" and had to get the kids off to school by myself on time, I offered up 3 bonus points each if they did ALL their morning "tasks" without me having to ask them - and they did!! We made it on time :)
I think it's important when starting the chart to make the rewards reachable, and something the kids will appreciate, but not neccessarily expensive. In the first two weeks, they only managed 60 odd points, so got to stay up. But in the third week they both got 78 points, scoring themselves a kiddies magazine each, which sparked much more interest in doing the right thing now they realize they can get a tangible reward for their efforts, and WE get rewarded too!!
What? No talk of mobile phones and Mini's? Oh, ok then ...
The JasJam still has it's quirks, but they happen less often now I'm used to its "ways". I've learnt to use the "Device lock" so I can listen to MP3's without something happening unintentionally, but the Media Player menu to access music from the storage card is still unreasonably clumsy. Installing "Spb Pocket Plus" has resolved many WM5 issues I had, especially making it easier to close down programs after use, instead of them just minimising. Enough already, I'll just say I'm happy with the purchase and it's proving to be a useful "electronic brain".
The Mini - I took to Peddars suspension the other week for a shake on their machine. Fortunately none of the bog fell out - of course that's because there is none ;) Without any bull, they gave me a big list of stuff that's stuffed and a quote of $1500 to fix it! I had to sit down - for two days and I still haven't recovered from the shock. I was expecting maybe $500, but there was over $600 just for labour. I'd also like to replace the drum brakes with discs also so it will stop, which totals to a whopping $3000 needed on the running gear! Should I keep, should I sell? The old man reckons I should garage it and get a second car, but then I'll have 2 vehicles to maintain & and the purchase price for a reasonable vehicle is about what I need to spend on the Mini AND I'd still really need to fix it eventually. There's really no other vehicle that I want - 'cept maybe another Mini ;) The two cars I would consider, namely the Subaru Sportswagon and the recently released Suzuki Swift are currently WAY over my obtainable budget. For now, I reckon I'll stick with what I have and love and hunt around for cheaper alternatives to get it bouncing properly.
Merry Christmas!!
posted by Edge at 3:20 PM
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