After a reasonable run, our kids have been, let’s say, somewhat challenging over the last few weeks.
In fact I nearly had a melt down two weeks last Friday – the most upset, by far, I’ve ever been with them.
This weekend we’ve started a new idea with them that I’m fairly confident will help.
And, as you may expect, has a few parrallels for you 🙂
We already do ‘stickers’.
Where they can earn a sticker each day for a specific behaviour each child is currently working and then redeem these for treats, presents, etc.
Currently “Being nice to Jamie”, “Using your nice voice” and “Not whinging”.
After several long chats with them we started yesterday a system which is similar to those signs you get in some work places that show number of days since the last accident.
This is the number of consecutive ‘Happy Days’.
Days where people are, on the whole, nice to each other and we all get on.
Needless to say the laminated poster I have designed for it has The Fonz on.
Check it out:
The kids were mega keen on this idea and, yesterday we had a lovely time and the poster now has a ‘1’ on it.
I think it works for a few reasons, which you could use in your journey.
1. It’s fresh
Like behaviour reward systems, structure and consistency in exercise are key.
Doing random stuff differently each day and week doesn’t get much in the way of results.
But, within that, you can tweak things to keep them fresh and interesting.
Some people are happy doing exactly the same workout structure for decades.
Fair play to them.
I’d get bored and I’m sure you would too.
Variety and freshness to keep interest up within a framework that still leads to progressive results is key.
2. The power of ‘the streak’
Once that number starts building, no one will want to be the one that breaks it.
Getting it up to 10 or a 100 and then having it drop to zero is a big deal.
More so that just one day of not getting your stickers.
It’s the same with what you do.
Set a frequency.
And build a streak.
Tracking it in some way.
After 10 or 100 days in a row of drinking plenty of water, you won’t want to see that number zero’d.
When you get one week or regular exercise up, you’ll want to make it two, then three.
Then you won’t want to see that streak broken.
And, before you know it, like their good behaviour, it’ll just become something you do.
Just the way you are.
3. Group dynamic
Now it’s not just about them letting themselves down.
They’ll be letting each other and us down.
They, hopefully, won’t want to be the one that causes that Zero.
And you can do similar.
Join a group of like minded people with similar goals (cough, that’s what we do, cough. Check myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting if you haven’t already).
If you’re already here, set little group challenges with each other.
Or just arrange to meet others for a session.
If we’re going to be letting others down, we’re way less likely to do it than if it’s just us 🙂
Much love,
Jon Pinky Tuscadero’ Hall and Matt ‘Ralph Malph’ Nicholson
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