Russian Adoption Diary: Movin' to Level 2

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Movin' to Level 2

At the end of the summer, our family will take its first ever real family vacation. In anticipation of all of the wants that will inevitably come along with 6 children on vacation, we have set up a vacation money earning endeavor. It basically consists of two parts, but also has additional earning potential (i.e. learning Bible verses, saying multiplication tables, etc.).

Part 1: Behavior

Each child has a cup on our kitchen counter full of 200 nickels. They are all theirs for the keeping, to be cashed in and used on vacation. However, when a child disobeys, acts incorrectly, forgets certain musts (like clearing their dinner plate), acts disrespectful to family members, doesn't obey the first time, etc., a nickel is deducted from their stash. Most of the kids have done really well with this, but L has a hard time. He's lost a lot of nickels already. He is into a "I'm not gonna" stage. Every time this phrase spills forth from his mouth, he is now docked not one, but two nickels. He is starting to think before he speaks (most of the time). When we first came up with the idea, we were going to use 100 dimes, but decided on 200 nickels to help L still have some left in the end. I hope it works. Actually, overall it is working quite well.

Part 2: Chores

Each child has a daily chore chart that has to be completed, including math drill sheets and daily reading (numbers and letters for L and El). When their chores for the day are done, they can put a sticker on the chart for that day. This completed chart is worth a set amount of money. Do all of your chores, you get the full amount to spend on whatever you might desire while on the vacation. Miss any days, you go with a little less money.

The kids have always had chores, but I decided to step it up a notch and add some new ones during the summertime. Now, when assigning daily chores, I needed to take age, ability, and responsibility level into account. J has always been in charge of dumping the trash cans from each room into the main trash and rebagging those cans. I needed simpler chores for L and El, therefore, the trash job passed to them. J, in turn, was given toilet cleaning duty. On his first day of such duty, I was instructing him in the fine art of toilet cleaning technique. He looked up at me and said, "Boy, mom, I bet you're going to like all of us doing your chores now." What????

Then, when his daddy got home, he proudly informed his dad that he was no longer in charge of trash. He had moved to Level 2! His dad, wondering what proud job awaited him at Level 2, asked what it was. J, proudly announced that he had moved to scrubbing toilets. I think D had a hard time not busting a stitch on that one.

posted by 6blessings @ 7:12 PM

3 Comments:

At 1:44 PM, Anonymous said…

One item of note for 'L'...I don't know if he has FAS/FAE, but at times sounds such. We were advised by our International doctor that many of these children (our daughter included) have the inability to learn cause and affect due to the organic damage they experienced in womb. They make bad choices and can become defiant due to this major development issue. You may want to consider his reward/punishment approach differently from the other children if this is a possibility.
At 4:05 PM, jessy said…

Promoted to toilet cleaner, heh? I dare not ask what you have in mind for stage three. LOL!
At 3:56 PM, Deb said…

I just happened to read your comments, I don't always and I have to say wow! He's 6 and is learning lots of new tasks for the first time in his life. Like you said he's going through a stage.

I think the ideas you have for the kids to have vacation money is great. They have ways to earn but also lose money. It's a perfect plan. And it teaches them so much in the process.
Wonderful to hear you'll be taking a family vacation. Looking forward to hearing all about it.