Sticker Power

I have recently re-discovered the power of a sticker on a piece of paper, in the mind of a toddler.  Never mind the fact that she gets stickers all the time and we have an abundance of them lying around the house.  Never mind that she usually gets a piece of candy every day for some sort of good behavior.  Never mind that our house is overflowing with toys of all sorts and sizes, even some duplicates.

Oh no, just make a (basic & somewhat messy) "sticker chart" for good behavior, and suddenly...  an obstinate, ornery toddler will submit to calm behavior.  Bedtime is no longer a power struggle.  Nap/Quiet time is (relatively) quiet and without escape attempts.  School day mornings are without whining.

We used a sticker chart for teeth brushing but had not really found much of a need for one since.  Recently though, we have been experiencing another one of those fun "developmental transitions" (aka torturous hell) and the usual suspects (time outs, reasoning, encouragement, threats, bribes) were not working.  I was getting really tired of the defiance and especially the snotty attitude. 

So I created a sticker chart for bedtime, because that's when we were having some serious power struggles.  Then, it dawned on me, like a big shining spotlight from Kyla's beloved flashlights that she must have at bedtime.  I realized that I could expand it to so many other areas where I was encountering unwelcome behavior.

So I made a chart for one week, with days in the rows and the columns headed with our "problem times" - SCHOOL, NAP/QUIET TIME, BEDTIME and one extra column for OTHER, to use as necessary and whipped out at a moment's notice (like at the grocery store).  If she does well, she gets to have a camp out with Daddy on the weekend.  She can't wait and so far has not missed one sticker opportunity!

I am still amazed at the power or the appeal of putting a sticker on a chart.  But, I suppose it is the praise that comes along with the ceremony of selecting a sticker and placing it on the chart along with all of the other pretty stickers.  And feeling a sense of self pride and accomplishment as they watch the chart fill up with more and more stickers as the days go by.

I'm a genius, I tell you.  A GENIUS!  And anyone who disagrees, shall no longer be called "friend."  Oh alright, just give me just a few seconds to revel in the glory of cracking this case of unmanageable toddler behavior.

Okay, I'm over it.  But I am still very happy to have found a solution...  for now!