I have never been a fan of sticker charts. This is partly because I loathe stickers with a deep-seated passion fuelled by picking them off carpets, furniture and the inside of the washing machine, and partly because they simply haven’t worked well for us. A row of stickers on the chart in the kitchen might be inspiring, but an empty row can be demoralising and counter-productive.
Our behaviour chart is an adaptation of similar charts used at school and by friends of ours. At school they have a ‘red, amber, green’ system, and I’ve seen rockets, rainbows and mountains used to great effect. It would work brilliantly with sea theme, too.
Everyone starts the day in the tree-house and moves up or down according to their behaviour. They make the decision themselves, with a little prompting from us, and generally the movement is upwards. If they do something which prompts a move down, we try to find something positive to help move them up again quickly. The important thing is that each day we start afresh.
The photo isn’t the best, but you may be able to make out five faces on the chart: the children were adamant that the whole family be involved. They gleefully move us up or down, and you might be able to make out my own face wallowing in the mud at the bottom, which is where I spend a lot of time. The children, it has to be said, are somewhat harsh in their judgements, and as ‘shouting’ is one of my personal challenges, they take great delight in plummeting me down several levels for it.
I wouldn’t mind, but look who is currently basking in the sun at the top of the chart? Yes, it’s their father. The man who can do no wrong. Home from work? Let’s move you up to the sun, daddy, for working so hard! Poured milk on our cereal? Thank you daddy – let’s move you up! Good round of golf? Well, you get the idea…
Do you use something similar for behaviour management? Would you add yourself to a chart?