I've made my "Hail Mary" play in trying to get my 8th grade daughter to do better at turning in her work to increase her grades. I've bribed her.
Over the course of many, many months Katie has said how much she would like a parakeet. She shared a room with her little sister who was very clear in not wanting a bird in their room. However, they don't share a room any longer so... here we go.
This is how I came up with this idea, it came to me in a dream. I'm not kidding. The other night I had a dream that there was a sweet, little parakeet in Katie's room and it made her happy which, in turn, made her more productive and accommodating when asked to do "something". Things were done, the sun was shining, the birds - you know where I'm going with this - were singing.
So here's my thought process, if I can say 'focus on doing what needs to get done and we'll get you a parakeet' turns into an actual parakeet living in her bedroom, that's fine with me. I love those little birds. She didn't "play" me to have this opportunity come her way. The desire to have a parakeet was something mentioned weeks ago, and some part of my brain came up with the idea that this might help us all get something that we want.
Her currency wasn't seeing an "A", or a "B" by her class assignments. It wasn't receiving money for good grades. What is helping her focus is the opportunity to have a little bird which she plans to train to say her name, so she will feel she has a little buddy to take care of and love. Fine with me.
Over the course of many, many months Katie has said how much she would like a parakeet. She shared a room with her little sister who was very clear in not wanting a bird in their room. However, they don't share a room any longer so... here we go.
This is how I came up with this idea, it came to me in a dream. I'm not kidding. The other night I had a dream that there was a sweet, little parakeet in Katie's room and it made her happy which, in turn, made her more productive and accommodating when asked to do "something". Things were done, the sun was shining, the birds - you know where I'm going with this - were singing.
So here's my thought process, if I can say 'focus on doing what needs to get done and we'll get you a parakeet' turns into an actual parakeet living in her bedroom, that's fine with me. I love those little birds. She didn't "play" me to have this opportunity come her way. The desire to have a parakeet was something mentioned weeks ago, and some part of my brain came up with the idea that this might help us all get something that we want.
Her currency wasn't seeing an "A", or a "B" by her class assignments. It wasn't receiving money for good grades. What is helping her focus is the opportunity to have a little bird which she plans to train to say her name, so she will feel she has a little buddy to take care of and love. Fine with me.