Mondays with Nonnie: Summer Bucks

As the song goes, "Schools Out for Summer" and I don't know about you but I feel so much calmer welcoming my kids home for the next three months if I have a plan. I like playing 'offence' rather than 'defence' when it comes to parenting. So here is our game plan; Code Name "Summer Bucks". At the start of each Summer I have the King Kids decorate an envelope to their liking and we then use it to store their 'Summer Bucks' aka Jr Monopoly money. They earn bucks in the following ways, 1) Doing their Order Charts (make bed, brush teeth, prayers, dress, and a morning chore) = $3 bucks 2) Summer workbooks. I find these at craft stores, grocery stores, etc. I make sure they are fun and easy but still help reinforce what they learned the previous year as well as help prepare them for the next year of school. 2 pages = $2 bucks 3) We also do yoga, tennis, and swimming for our exercise (depending on the day) Participation = $4 (yes, I have to pay more for these days especially on the days we do Yoga:) 4) Finally, they earn the last buck by doing a kind act for someone, anyone. Kindness = $1 When they have a total of $10 bucks they can cash them in for either TV time, video games, or a toy/treat out of our Treasure Chest. I want them to know that being entertained is something that is earned (and payed for:)!


If you have a child who needs a little more encouragement to read this is a great incentives program as well. I only have one who hasn't caught the reading bug yet so we have a plan for this little one, but I'll save that idea for another time....Happy Summer! Remember Enjoy these days!!
 
With Love,
Nonnie