Quick Parenting Tip:
Taming the Technology Monster
Suggested ages: Preschool-6th grade
What you will need:
1 roll of tickets (available at Walmart, Office Supply stores, Education stores, Walgreens, etc)
2 baggies (or containers)
Instructions:
Label Baggie (or container) #1 “Used Tickets”
Label Baggie (or container) #2 w/ the child’s name
Basic Rules:
-A child must present a ticket to play electronics/watch tv
-Each child begins the week with 5 tickets (1 ticket is worth 30 min. of electronics’ time*)
*electronics=computer games, video games, handheld games, tv/movies
-Sunday is a free day, no tickets needed (as long as they have been obedient and have not abused the rules the previous week)
-Room (or anything the child has gotten out) must be picked up and any regularly assigned chores must be completed before you can use a ticket
-As long as the child has met those conditions, he can use as many tickets per day as he would like (he can spread them out over the week or save them for a rainy afternoon and play for several hours)…but when they are gone…they are gone. He must earn tickets to receive add’l electronics time. (Mom reserves right to lift ticket requirement for special circumstances, i.e. a Friday night family movie rental)
-Set timers to insure time limits
-The beginning of each week starts fresh…tickets cannot be carried over from week to week
Ways to earn tickets:
1. Reading for 30 min = 1 ticket
2. Practicing math facts for 30 min = 1 ticket
3. Playing outside for a specified length of time=1 ticket
4. Doing extra chores that are over and beyond their regular chores (ie folding and putting up laundry, unloading/loading the dishwasher, etc)
5. Especially good behavior (normal good behavior is expected…but sometimes tickets can be used as an incentive or reward if a child went over and above normal good behavior)….don’t use this too often…make it special!
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” Eccl. 3:1
No comments:
Post a Comment