Who: your little buggers
What: designate a "Child of the Week"
When: any time 2 or more are involved in a dispute or a turn needs to be taken
Where: anywhere and everywhere
Why: I have precious little brain power and I don't need to waste it trying to remember who's turn it is to pick the movie or the Slush flavor during Happy Hour at Sonic. It decreases not only the number of fits, fights and fusses but the length of them regarding whose turn it is or pushing to be first or any number of things that my kids want to fight over.
How: assign a week to a child and rotate it. Choose alphabetically or chronologically or just start with the one that didn't ask to be first. I put Post It notes on a Monday to show the kids which week is theirs.
What for: attempt to save your sanity and it makes the little buggers feel special
If there is a choice to be made, I will ask the child. For example, the child may choose where we go out for lunch or they may choose the game. They may go first or run an errand with me. I also use this week to assign the not-so-fun chore(s) to the child.
This is NOT an original idea of mine. A very wise homeschooling friend of mine with 4 kiddos made this suggestion a looooooonnnnnggg time ago. I finally implemented it. It has been really great! The little buggers even count down the days until it is their turn.
Maybe this idea will help cut down on the squabbles in your house... For more great ideas head on over to Rocks in My Dryer.
