I Lied, So I Had To Do a Chore

Yeah, I totally lied. I said I'd post about the Chore Jar last week and I didn't. I swear I have a good excuse! My card reader was destroyed by a toddler broke last week. That's right, I could take pictures but I could not upload them to my computer. Oh, the horror! Seriously, do you know what it's like for me not to be able to look at the pictures I took? My worst nightmare.

So, since I lied, I had to do a chore. That's the system. I tried out "fun dollars" a suggestion from a friend, but that only worked for about five minutes. So, I had to implement the Chore Jar. I found the chore sticks/jar idea on Pinterest. From what I understand I'm using it differently than the person who created it, but it works for us!

The rules: If Keith lies, steals, does a chore "half way," or any other thing we deem unacceptable (such as hitting, or not doing his homework), he gets a chore. He pulls a stick out of the jar and has to do whatever it assigns him.

Keith has never responded to any kind of positive or negative reinforcement. I wish I was over-exaggerating. This is a strong willed child. He steals from me all the time (as well as from other people), so I've put him in time out, taken his toys, taken his money, grounded him and spanked him. I have also told him if he behaves he'll get rewards. I have done it all! Nothing works with that child. It's so frustrating! People tell me I'm going gray because of Avalyn. Not the case! I am finally going gray after 6+ years of Keith's shenanigans.

So, I have decided if he's going to be bad then I should get something out of it! If he lies to me (repeatedly - seriously I'm talking if I ask him three times, with warning of punishment if he doesn't tell me the truth, and I already know the truth, blah, blah, blah...), then he pulls a stick out of the jar and does a chore. There are things that aren't included in the jar. I'm not going to make him clean the microwave or the toilets, or use chemicals, or clean the tub... (you see where I'm going with this, right?) I'm going to make him vacuum, pick up toys, put dishes away, wash dishes, etc.

The kid is going to disobey me, I've come to terms with that. At least with the new chore system (which he hates) my house won't be such a mess. Maybe he'll see what a mess he really makes, and how much I have to clean up after him, and stop being such a piggy. Or maybe he'll stop disobeying because he hates chores. We'll see. All I know is, this shows him that his actions have consequences.