Shifts and Changes: part two, sticks

Last updated on: February 4, 2015 at 6:43 am by Anne Kennedy

Shifts and Changes: part two, sticks 2015-02-04T06:43:04-04:00 Anne Kennedy

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I was messing around on facebook last week, or maybe it was the week before, not doing something I should have been doing, and I stumbled upon Jenny's update about how her stick system was working. How totally intriguing, I thought, and then was launched into reading Bearing Blog's original idea, (if the link doesn't work, which I kind of think it won't, search for Token Economy) and then all the subsequent posts (this link probably won't work either) about how it was playing out. And because I'm a glutton for punishment, I was lulled into thinking it might be an interesting venture.

The whole leviathan of how to get children to do work and what work they should be doing and whether or not they are actually doing the work I gave them to do absorbs a fair portion of my emotional space. There are so many of us in this house. We have so much stuff. I don't handle disorder and clutter well, if at all. It's a potentially toxic situation, especially on those mornings I over sleep my prayer time. Much as it complicates all our lives, the children have to help, lest we all perish.

Also, I've never been good with charts and switching people around. Pretty much you have a job until you are fired or do so well you get promoted. A child begins on shoe putting away, moves up to laundry carrying around, from thence to kitty litter scooping, and finally to the pinnacle, cleaning the whole kitchen. There are some intermediate steps, and you can see that laundry doesn't really factor in at all, and that is a grave problem. For many months I've been pondering the question of laundry and what I hope to achieve, and how I could break it down into manageable bits. Meanwhile I've still just been doing it all myself.

So, the sticks. I drove everyone, well, just Matt, crazy by trying to think it through too many times. Here are the parameters.

For the four oldest, each stick is worth 25 cents. This is a raise, or rather, a potential steady source of income, because now they only get cash on the spot, never exceeding five dollars, for doing someone else's job or an extra job. You have to wait for someone to get sick to be able to do their job, so it's not reliable.

For the two little girls, I will give them ten cents for each stick, but I will try really hard to relieve them of their sticks, since they are so incompetent anyway, and when they leave the money out I will recycle it.

Each stick, this month, is worth four tasks: Bed Made, Chore Done, Clothes Put Away, No Towel on the Floor Ever. I felt that I could probably keep track of four things, maybe. And then we'll add something else each month. Next month, rooms picked up. In the summer time, laundry.

Instead of paying cash for an extra job, a lost stick can be returned or a new one gained.

So, there it is. We've had two days of a fair amount of anxiety on the part of the boys who, when they lose a stick, will probably not be able to deal. Today I'm going to actually walk around the house and try really hard to pull a stick because I think everyone believes in their heart that I'm a sucker. But I really can't afford the amount of money I could potentially lay out every month, so I need to be hard nosed.

And, for a while, I'm going to try calling the baby, who is going to be four next Monday, Eglantine. Elspeth is just not cutting it for me. Eglantine has a really nice sort of ring to it I think. It suits her. And for new readers, these are not their real names. I am crazy, but not that crazy.

Work and the Christian

clutter

links

Previous Post

February 3, 2015

Shifts and Changes: part one, the schedule

Next Post

February 5, 2015 Shifts and Changes: part three, rest

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category books Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Children in Conversation culture watch Daily Devotions Demotivations with Anne faith alone for the grandparents GAFCON In conversation with children In the News Kitchen Notes Lambeth Learning Notes Life Going On Men are Human Notes from Home Pictures Reading the Bible Saturday Links Sermons Signs of the Apocalypse The Bad Word Association The Prayer of Jonah Travel Notes Uncategorized Witless Wednesdays Work and the Christian

Select a Month June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus cast into a herd of pigs?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Leprosy Demons Water Coins

Books by This Author Books by Anne Kennedy

See All Titles »