Dish Washer?

The Glidewell family developed an in-house currency. We chose washers of various sizes because they easily hang on a nail. Here is how we use them:

The kids can earn little red washers by doing normal daily chores, showing acts of kindness, or other assignments we give them. When they accumulate 10 little red washers, they can trade them in for a black washer. A black washer is worth a half hour on the computer or 30 minutes of TV time. Four black washers is worth 1 green washer, which buys a 2 hour movie and pop-corn, and stay up late with Dad & Mom.

This is the “beta” version of this program. (I assume blog readers understand beta means first version of something?) We are still developing some of the concepts and working the bugs out of the system.

We found that we can “fine” the kids a washer or two for minor offences, such as not putting their shoes on the shoe shelf. Extra washers are given for tasks done on their own initiative without parental direction.

At the risk of sibling rivalry, I pounded 4 nails into a chunk of board, with names for each nail. This keeps the washers neatly on the wall, like a score-board.

So far, this program has been successful, and has been a light-hearted positive influence on the kids. We are still developing some of the reward concepts, as there are better “carrots” to dangle in front of our kids than TV.

Do you like it, Little A? I think she likes it: