Tayler Family –The Game
This evening went really really well. This shouldn’t surprise me because I’ve focused on the implementation of my plans for several days now. The true test will come on a day that I’m tired and distracted.
Link loved being Kitchen Helper. He came running the first time I called and did all the work willingly. In fact he and Gleek had a fight because she wanted to help and he wouldn’t let her because he was the official Kitchen Helper. Somehow I doubt this level of enthusiasm will continue, but I’m going to enjoy it while it lasts.
The kids loved the game. They enthusiastically ran through the house trying to find out whether we gained points or lost points. I think I might alter the rules to make it a co-operative game rather than competitive. Rather than keeping individual scores we may just see what the cumulative family score is. Then I can institute a plan where if the family score is above a certain number, then we get a special treat of some kind (Ice cream, brownies, something.) So far it has also had some of the larger effects I’d hoped for as well. Link picked up his clothes off the floor and put them in the hamper because he doesn’t want to lose points next time we play. I figure I’ll give things five days to a week and then we’ll play again.
After carefully orchestrating Kitchen time, Homework time, and Game time I am worn out. Unfortunately I still have to do Bedtime. Howard once told me that I had an effective bedtime system in place with the kids like marionettes. All I have to do is pull a few strings and off they go. It may look like that from the outside, but to me it feels like herding hyperactive cats using only limp spaghetti noodles.