Monday, September 24, 2007

how a cotton ball saved my life

So after a few ideas about my on going potty wars we have attacked the dilemma from a new angle.....cotton balls.

No, no we aren't making her eat them, or making her stuff her underwear...we are using them as a kind of reward system.

The girls and I took a trip to pick up some plastic containers and cotton balls. I wrote their name on a piece of paper and then allowed them to decorate the remaining paper. We put the paper on the container and thus their reward jar was created.

For each time miss Erin goes to the potty she receives one cotton ball. We are also using this system to promote kindness and cleanliness. With each good deed and willingness to pick up their messes they get a reward of one cotton ball. Bad behavior results in the removal of a cotton ball.

When either child reaches 10 cotton balls they get to pick out a special treat. Erin after two days (and not a single accident I might add) has collected enough cotton balls to get her first prize. She picked out a bag of candy necklaces...which she gladly shared with her sister.

Maybe I'll win this whole potty war....and maybe, just maybe my children will learn numerous lessons along the way. Our plan is to continue to raise the bar on the whole potty business so she has to eventually make it a week with no accidents before she gets a reward while working in some big prizes for saving up the cotton such as a trip to the movies or dinner out alone with parent of their choice.

Cotton jars for now seem to be doing the trick. I'm sure we will have days when things aren't always so sunny but for now I'll gladly take a break.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Simply brilliant ! What a great idea, I know Im about at my wit's end, We are going through the same thing here. I have been using the potty chart, and giving Temporary Tattoos. There are days that I wash every pair of underwear that he owns! I could pull my hair out on those days! .....
love ya hun
beth