Earning a "no" --D.H. learned this simple idea from a friend at work. Rather than trying to figure out the right consequence to fit a misdeed, when kids have done something wrong, (especially if it's a repeated offense, like "I forgot to bring home my spelling words, four days in a row") --you have kids "earn a no".
This means, if they do it once, fine. Twice, a warning. Thrice, they have now earned a no, and the next time they ask to go to a friend's house or to play the video game, you tell them, sadly, that they can't, because they have earned a no. This works.
Other times, especially if there's an innocent airheaded-factor to the misdeed, I just enforce the most natural consequence. For example, if the child repeatedly fails to wipe up after himself/herself, then for the rest of the week, he/she has to be in charge of wiping all countertops and the kitchen table.
This means, if they do it once, fine. Twice, a warning. Thrice, they have now earned a no, and the next time they ask to go to a friend's house or to play the video game, you tell them, sadly, that they can't, because they have earned a no. This works.
Other times, especially if there's an innocent airheaded-factor to the misdeed, I just enforce the most natural consequence. For example, if the child repeatedly fails to wipe up after himself/herself, then for the rest of the week, he/she has to be in charge of wiping all countertops and the kitchen table.
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