Check Marked

SOMEBODY, I'll not name any names (but she's my husband's sister and lives down the road from me), decided that it would be a great incentive for her kids if she were to give them check marks when they did chores, and then reward them with prizes when they get so many check marks.

You know... it's fine; sometimes a kid requires some incentive to get off his butt and do something.  I wasn't particularly interested in setting up a check mark system for my own kids.  For starters, they hardly seem old enough to take chores seriously; and then there was the part where it seemed like a lot of work for me to keep track of a points/rewards scheme, and it looked like it was going to cost me some money.  For toys.  That my kids don't need.

No check marks; not in this house.

And then it happened: my kid saw my sister-in-law's kids earn check marks.  And they were excited.  And then the reward toys appeared.  And they were even more excited.

Now, my son has spent the past week randomly awarding himself his own check marks for doing helpful things around the house.  One day he awarded himself a check mark for every. single. toy. he put back into the toy box - there had to have been 30 toys laying around!  Luckily, he immediately cashed in those fictitious check marks for a kiss from mom.  Yesterday, he got out a piece of paper and started keeping track of his own check marks - things are getting serious.

But as much as I've tried to downplay the whole check mark system, by ignoring it entirely, his desire to collect them hasn't subsided.  In fact, he's been asking to go to his cousins' house to earn check marks there!  They get actual toys for their check marks, not just kisses.

Fine, Kid.  That's the way you want to do things, check marks it is!  But we're working on my terms, Buddy.

1 check mark for doing what you're asked around the house.
10 check marks = 1 Mom Buck
You must save your Mom Bucks until you have enough to purchase your next awesome toy.


Now we've got a handy little check mark chart up on the fridge, and a wad of paper Mom Bucks sitting on a shelf  waiting to be earned.  And... a ridiculously eager 3 year old who did everything last night from feeding the cat, to cleaning his room, to eating his vegetables without complaining, all for a bunch of silly check marks.

I have my doubts that it'll last more than a few weeks - once the excitement for new check marks wears off....  But for now, I'm willing to work with it - after all, he did eat his vegetables without screaming!