"STOP IT", "LEAVE ME ALONE", "GIVE IT TO ME"!!!!

I am a mommy who requires manners and nice talk. Call it one of my pet peeves, but EVERY child who can learn to talk, can learn to talk NICE! Sometimes, what I hear coming from children's mouths make me cringe!  Whatever happen to talking with manners and respect?   

So needless to say, this is a biggie in our home!  There must be "please" and "thank you's" and "excuse me's".  BUT, with three children ages 3, 4 and 5  this is sometimes not as easy as that. Ruthie is getting more "vocal" and  B and H are learning "older" ways to express themselves.  I saw this idea on... yes, pintrest... and thought it would be PERFECT to reinforce our "nice talk". 

First I sat down with the kids and read the verse from Proverbs 15:1. We talked about what soft words felt like and what "wrath" was. That when we talk mean, it causes anger and that anger grows!  (I know, I am NOT an artist!) I put the verse up on the wall, so we can refer to it through out the day.

Then I showed them the two containers. I said that mama would listen and when she heard nice, soft and polite words, they would be able to put a soft ball into the heart container! When mama heard a mean, or angry word, then we would take a soft ball out of the heart container.  When the heart container is full with "soft words"  then we will go to Rite Aid and get a ice cream cone. (they LOVE this and mom LOVES the price!) 

At first they were ON TOP of it! Doing great. I was glad, but wanted this to REALLY make a difference, so I did not let them "just say nice things" to get the container full. I waited for "real" conversations they would have and catch them when they did not think I was listening.  On the first day, they had quite a few soft balls.  The next morning, they were not talking so nice, and after a pretty big argument, lost all the balls. This seemed to make them step back and try harder. I stuck with it. And now, have gotten two great weeks of polite talking, and encouraging words from the kids! We are almost to the top and the kids are excited to "earn" ice cream!!!!  

I did not know if this would work or not. I am happy to say it has worked AWESOME and the kids are really responding to it!