Beans Beans the Magical Fruit....

The more they get the happier they are.

My behavior check method is by using beans. Each child has their own cup with their name on it. I have a bag of back beans and a bag of white beans. If my kids do something good, kind, helpful with out being asked then they get a white bean. If they do something not so nice, tease their siblings, have a tantrum, not do as they are told, make a poor choice, then they get a black bean.

At the end of the week/2 weeks we all sit down and separate their beans. For every two black beans they have they have to take away one white bean. After that then you count up the white beans and, for me, each one is worth five cents. We put that money into their piggy bank and at the end of the month (or when I remember) we sit down and count up their money. They pay tithing on that sum and then they are free to choose how to use the rest. We used to go straight to the $$ store, but now we are going to have a little more in depth lesson with their money, so it should be fun.

There it is folks. My method. It works for me. I like it because I have to be more aware of them and there good behavior. I don't give them beans if they tell me that they did something good. I want them to know that their good behavior is rewarded privately and that doing good things is important even if they don't get public recognition. (I am a firm believer of not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing sort of thing.) When they are naughty I tell them what they did that wasn't right and when they did something good I tell them what that was also.