"Earning It" - Giggleberry Fair

A couple of months ago we finally caved in to the whole sticker-chart-parenting-rage and started to experiment with it here in the J-M home (the only other time I've blogged about it was here). Like every other parent in the universe already knew, we have discovered that the system works pretty darn well. We never did this for potty training or anything else, but now we're dabbling in using it for bedtime when need be (i.e., you get to choose a sticker and stick it on your chart the next morning if you go to bed nicely with no tantrums, no goofing-off-with-your-brother, no calling-us-back-into-your-room-a-million-times-after-we've-tucked-you-in, etc.). We call them "earning charts" and K & O are way into "earning it." What they are working toward earning is determined by them (within reason, of course--- "going on a big jet plane to Africa," for example [which they have suggested multiple times as what they want to work toward earning], is not within reason. A couple weeks ago we started new Bedtime Earning Charts and the agreed upon thing-to-earn was a trip to Giggleberry Fair (click here; the boys absolutely love this place and we very rarely go). We set it up so that they'd have to do good behavior at bedtime for 13 bedtimes in a row to earn Giggleberry Fair. 13 in a row is by far their longest earning charts yet. And truth be told, I never in a million years imagined they'd actually be able to pull it off. Especially not both of them (Owen has always, always his whole, whole life hated bedtime and has forever pulled every trick in the book to get out of it). But sure enough, would you believe it?!, they both did it. 13 bedtimes in a row of near-perfect behavior. Sweet, smooth, easy, peasy bedtimes for 13 nights in a row. SHOCKER! So, we had to follow through. Giggleberry Fair it was. We went on Saturday. Icing on the cake was that we invited Zoe (and her moms) too -- which just made the whole thing even more fun for K & O (and definitely more fun for H & B). We love getting together with the Petsch family... even in a hyper-over-stimulating-environment and even when you feel like you might puke (from riding the merry-go-round a hundred times in a row). Now, seriously, that's good friends! They always get to their blog before we do (oh how we love you L & S!!! you are such better bloggers than us!!!!!!!) -- you can read their post here. Here are a few photos from our camera: