The Old-Fashioned Way
When my kids were small, we instituted a token system with “chips”. The chips we used were poker chips, which translated into rewards at the end of the week. Each child had their own color chips, and each translated into different rewards based on age. They are now in their teens and still like to use this system.
Now, I am thankful to be a grandmother of five wonderful children! No, I can’t believe there are five beautiful grandkids. Raising children is still the same, however. The goal is to use positive reinforcement rather than negative consequences. Give children a way to participate in their own success.
Goodtimer
Goodtimer has created a program specifically for this purpose, and what a great job they did. Goodtimer is for kids ages 3-10. This five-time award-winning product is all about encouraging kids to do their best every day! Goodtimer is an interactive and friendly clock-like companion that glows with soothing green lights and encouraging sounds that motivate kids to learn healthy habits that last.
How To Play
When your child makes good choices, they turn their Goodtimer on by flipping it right-side up. It’s that simple. Goodtimer begins to glow green, and encouraging sound plays, and the device begins tracking ‘Good Time.’ Goodtimer displays your child’s performance by illuminating twelve glowing segments, similar to the hands of a clock. As your child continues to follow your house rules and earn more Good Time, more segments light up one by one, showing your child’s progress in a way that’s simple enough for a three-year-old to understand.
The Book
It’s your home, so it’s your rules. Each Goodtimer includes a children’s book that tells Goodtimer’s charming back story, explains how the device works, and most importantly, gives you the tools you need to help your child succeed at making good choices. While reading the book, parents and kids will have an opportunity to clarify house rules, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and is working together to earn Good Time.
Tokens
When all 12 glowing segments are filled, your child earns a Goodtimer token (typically 2-3 per day) as an additional form of positive reinforcement. These tokens can be saved and exchanged for additional incentives decided by your family. Similar to an allowance, tokens must be earned with consistent good behavior over time. Since Goodtimer tokens are tangible, young children can easily understand how their behavior impacts their performance.
Result
The result is I will be purchasing more Goodtimers, so each child has one specifically for themselves. It gives them something to look forward to with visual progress as well as audible.
Goodtimer leads to less chaos with everyone working towards solutions and resolutions. We all love Goodtimer!
I received payment, product(s), or services in exchange for an honest opinion. I only recommend products or services I use personally and/or I believe would help my readers. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Your experience with the product(s) or service(s) may differ from mine.