Summer Camp for the Kids

Well.....

i did it.

i finally had enough...

and i sent the children off for a while.

I packed them some towels and swim wear....

and bid them adieu.

Farewell my little ones....

always remember mommy loves you!

I'll see you in the Fall....

Just in time for School to start.

....and they were out the door.

I waved them on....

I thought i might cry...

they were....

but i just felt an overwhelming peace wash over our home....

i would miss them...

well: i woulda that is.......if i couldnt have heard them...

 the

whole

time....

bummer...i know...

the little summer camp beach cottage trip that i

banished them to

was only in our backyard.

before you consider social services....

they would have been perfectly fine.

there is a ripe cherry tree, pea pods, lettuce...

and strawberries,  all just right around ...

the neighborhood...

throughout various gardens and such.

Pretty nature was at thier fingertips....

it wasnt like they were being banished to

outer darkness or anything....

i just needed an afternoon all to myself...

but then guess who came home and put a stop

to all this "nonsense"... (i think thats what he called it).

.....

Ya~huh.

Hubby.

He was frowning upon my plan....

He thought they should be allowed in the house...

and that i should just learn to cope better with noise....

so just go ahead and guess where he slept that night?

Ya~huh.

Theyre all officially banished now.

It's Exile for that back talkin crew!

and i got the house to myself for ...

well....

(like only a half hour really....)

but it was worth all the nieghbors dirty looks.

xoxo  shell

Bribery at it's finest!

This one's for you jillybean;

I've said it before and i will say it again....

I am a fan of bribery....

Sometimes if done well...

It can help initiate and then encourage major change after the

bribing ends.

the kids have been cooped up in the hotel for over

a month without anywhere to escape from eachother

for some space or along time....

Thus fighting and bickering has become

the form of communication around here.

Matt and i simutaneously came up with the ....

 

Poinsts for Prizes  Game

_________________

we give points for getting caught speaking kind

or helping one another, sharing , showing patience...etc...

Not every act of kindness recieves a point!

We are always suppose to show love to others....

So points are given randomly as a visual thankyou.

Points can be taken away for yelling, disobeying,

unkind words...etc

and likewise earned back by making a change.

There is such thing as "going in the hole" or negative amount of

points.

each time a point is recorded  it is announced and accompanied by praises from mom or dad.

5 points by bedtime =  picking a quarter or a small

Prize from a quarter machine!

If they don't have the 5 points at bedtime
we really encourage them to try so hard the next day
and tell them that we know they can do it!

 

The visual praise will not go on for long ...

it is expected of them to recognize that our

home is a happier place and they have peace in their hearts

when they are choosing the Right!

And then the game ends and the praises for

positive behavior continue without the visual "prize".

After 3 days of doing this ....

we have seen a 180 in their attitudes towards one another.

Next week 20 points, by weeks end , will mean that  they
are invited on a fun outing with the family!

Call me naughty,  call me lazy,

but bribery done right , in my opinion,  takes a lot of consistency,
follow through, and energy and by no means is for lazy people!