Behavior Management, Homeschool Style!

My big challenge every day has been one child whining at me for any work I put in front of him while I have my other child hanging onto my arm and draping herself over me and my chair, whining that I don't give her nearly enough work.  Talk about the perfect recipe for strife, headaches, and resentment over homeschooling!

Ethan would bristle at anything I put in front of him, which of course provides the least ideal learning environment.  It makes everything he tries ten times harder.

Two nights ago, as I lay sleepless in bed, I spent time thinking and praying over the matter, asking God to help me come up with solutions.  

Earlier in the evening I had gone through all my various school-related books and found some more I might use with Katie, even though they're technically Kindergarten level.  I think they're simple enough that she'll enjoy them.  That was the easy problem to fix.  

Lying there I remembered my former classroom after-lunch routine of read-aloud while the kids worked on Handwriting and Spelling.  Even though I'm still wanting to be engaged and making sure Ethan is forming the correct habits in letter-forming, I decided I really could do both read and observe.  That would help cut down on the "boring" factor, and also help with his distraction and constantly talking to Katie and wanting to see what she's doing.  So yesterday morning, since all our books are packed, I made a visit to the Sr. Currier home and borrowed "The Bluebirds and Their Neighbors."  

The first day it cut our Handwriting time down from 40+ minutes to just 20! (Note: the current HW pages are quite long, but as soon as we finish getting through the alphabet the daily work gets much shorter.)  I may have had to give him a gentle reminder or look to get him back on task, but I wasn't harping, and he did it with a smile on his face.  He completed the entire page without a single negative remark.  Success!!  ...at least for one day. :)

The other component I believe God brought to my mind was a more direct behavior management tool.  Yesterday morning, before we had prayer and started our day, I talked to the kids about the whining and what we could do about it.  I told them each morning they would receive ten pennies (I guess there's one good thing about not having gone over money value yet!), which would be theirs to keep.  BUT, for every whine or negative comment about school they would have to give me one of their pennies.

Yesterday Ethan ended the day with nine and Katie had all ten!  I realized with the negativity gone just how much easier it was for Ethan to focus and experience success in his school work.  We didn't have fits over each new assignment throughout the day, the reading came so much easier, the work got done so much faster, and overall it was a much more pleasant day, and I'm sure in the end I was a much more pleasant mommy to be around. :)

(**Update: Katie lost her first penny this morning when she whined, "I can't!" and refused to try to write the "2"s on her math page.  Her entire world crumbled and she had to spend quite a bit of time on her bed calming down before she could even get the penny to hand to me nicely.  Talk about a rough time!  BUT she did try it on her own and was successful.  They weren't perfect, but they were very well done for a four year old.  This evening during prayer meeting I looked over and saw that the previously-blank page on her clipboard were full of "2"s.  I'd say that was a rousing success!**)

I realize there may be a honeymoon period and it may not always work.  But while it does I hope we can form some new, positive habits and that when it wears off that I'll be consistent in collecting those pennies until they break the whiny habit.