Pasta jars are fab!

[roisin]

In anticipation of a challenging week (back to school and normally very hands-on dh away for 8 days) I got the pasta jars out again, and wrote a list of targets and stuck it on the wall.

The boys have responded to them 100%, and we've had a fantastic week.
(I didn't even specify what the reward would be for full jars!)

So thanks again!

It teaches them maths too. Was very impressed that DS2 (4) worked out that he had no pasta left when I asked him how many he started with and how many he'd just lost

Oh Roisin, tell me more please

Pasta jars??????? Please tell me about them????

Ours work like this...
Sat morning, put 5 pieces of pasta in a jar.
Through the week, they can earn/lose pieces for good/bad behaviour
Sat morning, count the pasta and exchange for 10p a piece.
Reset to 5 pieces and start again.

Oh the joy of being able to hiss pasta! in a menacing tone of voice to make your children behave

You can adapt it to use chocolate buttons/smarties for example for a younger child - they get to eat however many are in their jar on a Sat morning.

Love it! Thats going in my "good idea" book for use at a later date. Thankyou very much i will be eternally grateful for these suggetions when ds is old enough to understand them.
Paaassstttaaa

And when I'm feeling truly evil, there's nothing that cheers me up like a contrite child sobbing "don't take my pasta away mummy! I'm sorry!"

May I say how much I agree?

What a FAB idea!!!!!!!!

It works a treat with DD2 just when I had run out of options. Of all my children she has been the hardest to discipline. Bribery and corruption are out, she just doesn't care enough. But watching the pasta jar fill.... now that's a whole other ball game. We are off the toy shop in a little while to spend her "winnings" on a toy from the pocketmoney table.

Soupy I love you!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you

forgot to mention.... I told my friends about the pasta jar over dinner the over night and we were wetting ourselves at the thought of people listening in to a conversation with us and our children................

Child: No! I won't! I won't!
Mum: Honey, if you do that nicely then you can have a piece of pasta
Child: Yes mummy
Eavesdropper

hehehe.

I have to confess that I stole this idea from a friend of a friend.

honey I don't care where you got it. It's mine now ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..............................

How early did you start using it? Ds is 26m and I wonder, is it a bit too early?

Soupy (and others!)
Am thinking of starting to use this with DS1 (5.4) as some of his behaviour is pushing us to our limits.

Just out of interest though, can you be more specific about the sorts of things you give, and take away pasta for? Was thinking about it over the weekend, and came to the conclusion that DS1 would be about -10 pieces down by Sunday!

Or perhaps I just don't recognise his good behaviour enough ?
Or perhaps there isn't any?

Also, do you do 'multiple pieces' e.g. did really well at swimming so 2 pieces vs. tripped DS2 up -1 piece?

??????

Thanks GF - what were your rules?

Crikey - those could be ours! Exactly the same sorts of things! How old are your kids?

How does the no naggng one work then - do you and your DH have a pasta jar???

I'm tempted to make DH a pasta jar I must confess.

We don't have specific rules. If I ask them not to do something and they do it, I will tell them to stop or they will lose a piece of pasta. I tend to give them the chance to earn the pasta back by exhibiting the correct behaviour the next day. Eg "don't run away from me at school pick up", if they run one day, they can earn it back the next if they don't run - this is a one time only offer in that they don't get pasta every time they do it right IYSWIM.

they can earn pieces by doing something well, being particularly good or (miracle of miracles) doing something without being asked.

DS2 started his jat at 3 and understood the concept of getting pocket money for pasta. For a younger child, I'd use (say) Smarties that they were then allowed to eat on a Saturday morning.

Soupdragon - Have you ever considered starring in a TV series called SouperDragon Nanny - you'd be fab (I'm in awe of your ability to discipline!)

what an absolutly fab idea, just gonna find a jar now.
dd is 4 and hv said she had behaviour problems so i am willing too try anything