Comments on: First Time Listening Lesson

By: Ashleigh

Ashleigh — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:34:31 +0000

You are AMAZING!!!!!! This is exactly what I was looking for for our FHE lesson tonight. All I have are giant ears … what am I suppose to do with that!? ha ha ha My girls have been crazy lately. We told them we’re having another baby 2 weeks ago, and they’ve been off the hook ever since. I’m talkin’ mouthing off, ignoring us, running a muck, going outside without permission, and being full-on rascals. My husband actually checked out the other day because it was unbelievable. I am DEFINITELY going to try the M&M jar. Maybe I’ll put the ears on them. Waste not, want not. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing.

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:48:42 +0000

That’s a really great idea! We’ve recently ripped off…er…flatteringly imitated a version of “Accountable Kids” cards. Simpler than theirs, cheaper than theirs, probably less effective than theirs, but I’m OK with the baby steps!

By: Sabra

Sabra — Wed, 02 May 2007 03:56:53 +0000

good luck with it. i’m keeping an eye on this. we’ve been struggling with obeying the first time, too.

By: garaghty

garaghty — Tue, 01 May 2007 21:07:12 +0000

I can’t wait to hear how it turns out. Sounds like a good plan

By: amberlicious

amberlicious — Tue, 01 May 2007 17:37:06 +0000

Actually Lacey Lilah is at a very good age for choices. Have you ever read Love and Logic for Early Childhood? It’s got some good concepts in it. One of them is offering choices as many times as you can in a day. It offers an element of ‘control’ which kids ags 2-5ish crave. But when you offer choices it’s always between two things that that are fine to choose.

“Do you want to wear the red shirt or the green shirt”
“Do you want to leave now or in 5 minutes?” (when you’re planning on leaving in five minutes anyway)
“Do you want to go to bed with or without a story?”
“Do you want you sandwhich cut into triangles or squares?”
“Do you want to put on your jacket or carry it?”

Then when it’s time for something that’s non-negotiable you point out that this time ‘it’s not a choice’ and that they’ve been given choices all day long.

I find my especially stubborn children (megan and annika) respond well to this.

My friend Arlyn does the same sort of reward system but with marbles in and out of jars. When they get a certain number of marbles then they get a treat/reward of some kind. My younger three don’t seem to have the long term forsight to make this work.

I’m expecting this to take a couple weeks with the middle two- but I’m hoping for better behavior from Ashley in the next day or two. She’s all about the visual rewards.

By: lacey

lacey — Tue, 01 May 2007 17:17:22 +0000

We’re totally having a problem with first time listening.
Lilah never listens and always wants a ‘choice’. Her choice is usually do what I ask or go to time out.
I think it’s time for a FHE on listening. I don’t think Jon would go for the m&m reward though. He thinks the girls are actually worse when we have sweets everyday.
I just think they’re kids.

By: amberlicious

amberlicious — Tue, 01 May 2007 04:15:18 +0000

Don’t thank me yet. Check back in a week. Then we’ll see how it’s going..

By: andrea

andrea — Tue, 01 May 2007 04:07:25 +0000

I love the ideas you pass along. I need to remember them for the future when I have kids. It’s amazing how you change surroundings and children forget how to act. (The teachers at school attribute behavior fluctuations to changes in barometric pressure, so maybe it’s also the weather!)