Holiday Behavior Management System

Well, December crept up on me as it always does. Here we are six days in, consumed with gift lists and holiday parties on the calendar. In our home, we spend December preparing our hearts for the celebration of birth of our Savior. I am currently reading this advent devotional, and this is a perfect one for young children. 

Although December is meant to be a month of celebrating and joy, as a mom of two young children, there is a lot going on! We are staying inside more, the kids are getting sick more often, and they are constantly being asked what they want for Christmas. This has led to a lot of bickering and selfish behavior so I thought I would turn my positive behavior reinforcement up a notch. We haven't done Elf On The Shelf yet, they are too young and really need constant reinforcement!

We read through, The Gingerbread Girl as one of our advent books and then I introduced these cards. Anytime I catch my three-year-old being kind or responsible she gets a card. After she earns three, she can "cash" them in for a treat or prize. I have found this method to be most successful with toddlers and preschoolers. Celebrating and rewarding positive behavior only increases it! There are still moments of negative behavior that need attention, but those moments are far less.

I think this will be a fun way to focus on the positive behavior for December! It would also be fun for an early childhood or elementary class!