The Power of a Sticker

I am always amazed at the power of a sticker.

I try very hard not to use rewards for my children, but there have been a few times that I have found them very useful.   My children love stickers, and I keep them as a rare treat - mainly so that they keep their power.  I have used sticker charts 4 times in the past, and am using a new one the last day or two.  Because they have not been used often, and stickers are used rarely, they are very motivating for my kids.

I used a sticker chart for potty training for both Delta and Echo.   Last year, when I was expecting Foxtrot, and knew that we would need to move Delta into the back of the mini-van, we used a sticker chart for doing up his carseat.  (Delta doesn't weigh very much, so is still in a 5 point harness car seat.)  Delta has also had one for practicing the violin for a while.

Well, now we are training Echo to do her carseat up by herself.  She had succesfully done it a handfull of times, but wouldn't make the effort.  (It was also a lot harder earlier with winter coats....)   Well, yesterday I setup a stickerchart, and she has done herself up everytime since (earning 8 stickers so far) - and I have moved her carseat to the back.   

In a week or so, I will print up a certificate for her that she can do up her carseat - and that will be it!

Gotta love the power of a sticker!

Who is Who

I am the step-mom of 3 adults, and the mom of 3 children.  I am also a grandma, and will become a grandma again in a few days (give or take, of course.)

To keep a level of security and anonymity, I am using code names.... and decided to simply use the international phonetic alphabet.

• Alpha is my oldest step-son.  He is 25 right now, and lives in another city.
  
• Bravo is my oldest step-daughter.  She is almost 24, and lives nearby.  She is the mother of the grandchild, and is the one expecting.
  
• Charlie is my other step-daughter.  She just turned 19, and lives with us.
  

• Delta is my oldest son.  He is 5 and a half.
  
• Echo is my oldest daughter.  She is 3.
  
• Foxtrot is my youngest daughter, who just turned 1!
  

My  Grandchildren:  (starting from the end of the alphabet...)

• Zulu is my oldest grandson.  He turns 6 in about a month.  (yes, my grandson is older than my oldest children....)
  
• Yankee is the expected grandchild, who has been declared to be a girl.  
  

Hope this helps!

Done with the backposts

Well, I'm done with posting the old stuff.... although I could go and add some pictures to some of the posts.  Not sure if I am going to or not at this point, as I don't know if anyone is reading.

Delta is doing well with his reading - he isn't quite fluent yet, but is doing a lot better - and I think he is reading silently at times when he is looking at books.   I have started using the "Treadwell" reader with him - and he has read to me "The Little Red Hen", and "The Gingerbread Boy" - so I think that finally he could be called a reader!  

Echo is doing pretty good with reading too.  We haven't worked on it all the time - but she can figure out simple sentences.  

Delta is almost finished Seals in swimming - probably by the end of summer.  Echo has completed the first 2 levels of Lil' Dippers, and is part way through the 3rd.

We didn't work on the Piano because of the violin lessons not working well - but Delta is very interested.... so now that the violin is going much better, I may start teaching him the piano again.  

I do at times wonder how I'm going to do everything - all 3 children are at a stage of needing a lot of my time to do things.    I will start posting some of the resources I've been finding....

So let me ask - how do you do it all?

What is with them?

What is with my kids today???  They are whining, fighting, crying, refusing to do anything, etc.  I've about had it.  Even the baby is being cranky.   

It is days like this that I wonder what I'm doing!

More Lightly Row

Well, we have been practicing Lightly Row (along with other stuff) for about 2-3 weeks now - and Delta is practicing it 2x a day now.  He can play it very well, up to speed, usually getting all the notes right.   What is REALLY cool though, is that Delta is picking the song as his "Happy Song" to end the practice session!    

Another thing that is really cool is that we are also doing the "Grasshopper" exercise to get the hopping 3 finger going for "Song of the Wind".  And, Delta is also playing the first "lick" of "Song of the Wind".   (A,1,2,3,E,E,E,E)

It is so satisfying to see him finally progressing with his violin!

Adding Homeschool

I'm adding posts about homeschooling now....   starting with things I had written elsewhere.  I'll be pre-dating it to when I wrote it.

Song of the Wind Exercises

Another lesson with Mrs. J, and Delta is starting the "Hopping 3" exercise with finger 1 down on the E string, that is used in Song of the Wind.    Mrs. J was really pleased with the progress Delta has made on Lightly Row.