Behavior Modification part 2

The next morning the picklets were awakened at the butt-crack of dawn. They were given breakfast. Biscuits and gravy. They were told to brush their hair and teeth and prepare for a day of work. "Grumble, grumble, grumble."

We then went upstairs. Upstairs is where the boys room is as well as a big hallway, a bathroom and the toy room. I could not believe my eyes. There was not floor. It was all covered. Books, toys, clothes, hangers, dishes, water bottles, school work, pencils, markers, Cd's, sheets, stuffed animals. What ever you could think of, it was on their floor. I was speechless.

Into the toy room. Chip-clubhouse. Dill-cards in the drawer. Sweet, you're my runner. For 2 hours we threw things out, put things away and boxed things up. The toy room was done. Then for the hallway. That is where the books are kept. I decided the previous night that only educational books and classics were going to be allowed during this period. We went through all the books. A bookshelf was taken into the toy room and the "banned books" were taken in and shelved. The boys room next. Dresser drawers gone through, under the bed cleaned, beds made, closet cleaned. Contraband boxed and put in the toy room. Down to Sweets room. Drawers gone through, books gone through, under the bed cleaned, everything taken upstairs.

It took hours, in fact all day. We took three breaks. One for lunch and two for snacks. We had just finished up when Cool got home. The kids took him to their rooms, showed him their progress and explained what was happening. He was a bit shocked but stood by my decision.

We sat down to supper, together as a family, with no TV and talked. I told the picklets if they were caught in the toy room or if anything was taken out of the toy room an automatic 30 days would be added to their sentence. Cool added anything they were caught with would also be sold. I told them I didn't like having to punish them but when they act the way they have been and wouldn't listen to us we couldn't accept it. We all need to learn to use our words, our inside voices and learn to listen to each other. I hope the lack of distraction bearing objects will help us in that effort.

They have been informed that toys/belongings will be able to be earned back starting March 1st. Attitude, household responsibility, being a good citizen and school work will be most of the basis we will use for doling out their items.

Though this "radical" change has been rough on all of us, I believe it is a step in the right direction. It already has had the boys searching through their Dangerous Books looking for ideas. Sweet has been coloring, writing letters and reading. Cool doesn't like not watching TV until bedtime but he is getting used to it. As for me, I sit back and smile at the good things I know will come out of it.




© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines