Tuesday, June 29, 2010

How to control a 3 year old

Lately, I have been struggling with my 3 year old. (I hear that 4 is easier...and we only have one more month before she's 4.) I thought I had it down...being a great mom and all. She has always listened to me and she is such a good girl...

...Then she hit 3, and she thinks she runs this house. Well, being that this is my first time mothering a 3 year old, it has brought on some challenges for me. Don't get me wrong, I love her to pieces and she brings tons of color and love to our home...she just is 3.

Well, one of my challenges is wanting my house clean and having two kids who don't care. Kya is really great about cleaning, when I can get her to do it. But I feel like the nagging witch when I ask her 100 times to do the same thing. I understand that repetition is the key to teaching, but come on...its gets old somedays.

So, to solve this little issue, Kya and I had a talk one day and I asked her how she could help out a little more (without me being the bad guy all the time). Reward, rather than punish, right? We came up with a chore chart idea. And being a photographer...we used pictures.

Supplies needed....(and all this I had lying around the house somewhere...so FREE, always a bonus)
*old picture frame
*cork board sheets
*ribbon
*push pins
*scissors
*tags
*pictures
*scrapbook letters
*scrapbook flowers

And here is the finished product. How is works. Everytime she accomplishes a chore without being asked (we will have to remind this first week or so) she gets to move a tag from the "chores" to the "done" column. If she gets all her chores, at the end of the day she gets a flower. At the end of the week, if she has 5 out of 7 flowers, she gets an allowance. Then at the end of the month, she can buy whatever she wants with her allowance. After 1 day...she did great. She was WANTING to do chores, just to be able to move the tags over. She even brushed her teeth a second time last night, just because. I really hope this works...I want to be the fun and happy mommy again.

A close up of her picture chores.

13 comments:

Rachel Durazzani said...

What a cute idea. Love it. You're so creative. Can't wait to hear how it works.

Lacey said...

Seriously cute and creative idea! It makes me want to do my chores! :)

Alicia said...

That is awesome, go ahead and get started on mine, I will be needing 4 of them. LOL

Gramma Leslie said...

I just love it!!! I can't believe she'll be 4 soon!!!

Jana Dille said...

it turned out so cute! i've had good intentions of making a chore chart and haven't gotten to it. Love yours!

Jacque said...

I love it! That is a really great idea.

Burke Family said...

this is the cutest thing i have evet seen!!!!

Jason and Becky said...

Oh how we love the 3 year olds. Yes 4 does get better. Love the chart. Miss you guys!!!

weloveadoption said...

such a cute idea. I hope it works well for the two of you.

Ashton and Shanda Call Family said...

Oh my gosh!!! i LOVE it! Super cute! I wish I was as creative a mommy as you are!

Tim and Melissa said...

Such a cute chart! I have to laugh to know that she isn't always the angel child...she's normal, and darn cute! I often feel the same way with my kids!!

Jamie Younker said...

I am SO stealing this idea... as long as that's okay :) I have been struggling with the same thing with Addison and have been thinking of making some kind of job chart but this is way cuter than anything I could have put together. LOVE IT! Thanks for the great idea!

Carol said...

You are so clever, hope it works, it is a great idea.