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current I love reading, cuddling with Kim and Bailyn, working with computers, playing The Sims 2, and waiting anxiously for the release of Sims 3. 
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2006-02-03 - 7:25 a.m. First, let me apologize to my cyber-stalker, Leila, for the long delay between postings. It's been a hard, hard week at work, and I've been working late every day. Last week, Bailyn's teacher came up with a brilliant new discipline plan for us to execute cooperatively. A paper chain! It's so incredibly simple, but so brilliant, too. After all, what kid DOESN'T like building a paper chain?! Here's the outline of the idea: The child has an opportunity to earn 28 links in a week (Leila, that breaks down to four a day). We chose 4/28 because Bailyn's day breaks down easily into 4 parts: before school, during school, primetime at school, evenings after we pick her up from primetime. For the weekend, she can earn 2 in the mornings and 2 in the afternoons. If she gets 21/week (average of 3 a day, Leila), she gets a prize. Not necessarily something material. It could be a trip to the park or story hour at the library. The prize needs to be agreed upon at the beginning of the week. The chain needs to placed where the child can see themselves getting closer to the prize. Like, hang the chain where 21 links would touch the floor or something. We made a chain of 21 to test where a good visual spot would be and wound up hanging it at the top of her closet door and she earns her prize when the chain touches the doorknob. She is ALWAYS good in the mornings(bounces out of bed, eats her breakfast, and gets dressed on request), so she's guaranteed at least one a day, which prevents discouragement. At school, Mrs. Cole puts three marks on the board with Bailyn's name above them. Naturally, the other children questioned this and were simply told that we're trying to help Bailyn behave more nicely. Of course, they are very aware that Bailyn has trouble with her behavior, so they don't question any further. And, yes, it requires a little effort on the teacher's part, but she's expending effort anyway, so she might as weel put some toward this effort to elicit good behavior. If Bailyn has at least one mark left at the end of the day, she gets a link. Then she goes to the gym with the YMCA Primetime staff. If she behaves even half-decently with them, they'll say she was good and she gets a link. After we pick her up, we do all our evening stuff (dinner, bath, work on reading, etc) and she either gets a link or loses it. Our week runs Saturday to Friday, which allows to execute the prize on Saturday. We have almost completed our first week with it, and it has worked amazingly well. She is VERY much into earning her links. She needs 2 more to earn her prize for this week. Of course, she has already earned 1 for this morning (unless something exceeding unusual happened between Dad and Bailyn after I left). It seems to be a great system. It's so positive, and she's so excited about it! Yay!! 0 comments so far
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