Status Updates From Smart but Scattered: The Re...

Pretty sure someone wrote this specifically about my kids 👀😂

Visual reminders are better than verbal. Verbal can feel like nagging. Put up a picture of what they’re working for.

$25 worth of quarters in a jar and one gets removed for every item not picked up by 5 PM. At the end of the week, the family counts the money and decides how to spend it.

Give your kids internal scripts for coping. Say to your child, before you start this assignment, I want you to tell yourself that it’s gonna be hard, but you will stick with it if you get stuck, you will ask for help.

“Protect your middle schooler by doing whatever you can to minimize the stress that leads to bad decisions.” Stress requires them to use up a lot of their prefrontal cortex.

Strengthen response inhibition and delay gratification-
Use first, then schedules
Set a timer- you can XYZ in 5 minutes
Front loading waiting- what will we do if there’s a long line for the water slide?
Offer rewards quickly for showing self control

“You can play video games as soon as you clean your room.” Instead of “you can’t play video games until you clean your room.” Emphasize the positive.