I'll admit, most of my parenting techniques are not from a book. Most of the time, I just try something and if it doesn't work, or stops working after a while, I move on to something else. The priorities in our house, when it comes to discipline, are to disciple out of love, not anger, and to teach Collin to grow up to be an awesome man of God.
Collin has always been a bit of a challenge to discipline. He never fits into any of the discipline molds that all those books out there suggest. Even advice other, more experienced, mothers give me seems laughable to Collin! I like the ideas presented in most of the books, but I just can't seem to make them work! (Maybe Bailey will be easier. I can't hope, can't I?) One day in March I noticed that all I was doing was focusing on Collin's negative behavior, instead of aknowledging the good behavior. We talk a lot about making choices in our house, but I thought "how can Collin ever learn to make good choices if I don't ever let him know when he's making one?" So, the Good Behavior Jar was born. The jar I bought was a little large, so when Collin decorated it, I put a line for him to reach so that he didn't have to fill it all the way up! I didn't want him to forget what we were trying to accomplish. Collin decorated the jar himself and he and I agreed on behaviors that would get him an M&M in the jar. Then we agreed on a prize to look forward to after filling the jar. Collin wanted a real bicycle with 2 wheels (he hasn't noticed that there are really 4 wheels on his bike). He finally filled his jar (which took a little longer than planned because we couldn't fill it when we were out of town). Collin is so proud of himself every time he gets to put an M&M in his jar, he's spending less time in time-out, and he is able to identify poor choices and good choices. Spencer and I are so proud of him. It's so hard to believe how fast he's growing up.
Collin in March, after he decorated his jar.
Last week, after he filled his jar
Collin & Daddy putting together his new bike
Going for his first ride
Look at him go!
Collin is doing really well on his bike. He just forgets to look where he's going! I really never worried about him making it to the age of 5 until now! On the plus side, I have one more activity to help burn all that energy!
