We are working on implementing more natural consequences for undesirable behavior. I tend to focus on two or three habits at once, instead of the recommended one-at-a-time approach. There are pros and cons to doing it that way, but I think the excitement in me wants to be an over-acheiver or something! HA!
I am re-working our chore charts this evening. I usually do that at least once, and sometimes twice per year, as the children get older and are able to handle more responsibility. My main goal this year is to keep them looking at and doing their chores without being told, “Check your chore chart please” or “Have you done everything on your chart for today?”. We’ve got the habit of attention down (thankfully), and that took us almost all of last year. We did have a four-month period though when we were moving/remodeling our house, when all habits basically went out the window. Don’t ever want to do that again! Another habit we were able to form last year in the children was modesty. They had previously shared a bedroom, and it was difficult to coordinate changing clothes in front of one another.
The natural consequences are to reinforce the habit of first-time, joyful obedience. I re-read bits and pieces of Laying Down The Rails as I have time, and if you do not have that book, I heartily recommend it! I don’t put our habits into the Organizer or anything, although I would like to order The Way of the Will calendar journal from this site.
Hope that helps,
Lindsey
