To Err is Human

But...

What happens when mommy tells the picklets that when they each reach 1000 points for book quizzes on Book Adventure she will buy a family Wii game? Mommy turns into a saint. Well, what happens when, instead of saying 1000 points, mommy says 100 points? Mommy is a saint who erred, big time.

Imagine how excited the pickets were today when they each reached 100+ points with just 1 book! Imagine the hyperventilating mommy did when she realized she actually did say 100 and not 1000! Can you say, "Cha-ching?"

I have used Book Adventure on and off for a few years and find it a great way to make sure the picklets are actually comprehending what they are reading. Seeing their points go up is a great incentive for them. The prizes they earn aren't too shabby either. The thing I really like best is they can pick from the prizes Book Adventure offers or I can offer an incentive of my own. Most times that works to my benefit.

So, after the triumph of the book points earlier today, I revamped my reward system. The total points needed for a prize has been officially raised to 1500 each. At that point the pickets will each get $10 to spend at Barnes and Noble with a strawberry and cream frappuccino to boot! (after looking at the calorie, fat, cholesterol and carb counts I realize I will be drinking ice water, salivating while the picklets drink those luscious fraps down) But, they each need to earn 1500 points on top of what they already have, not total. When they all have reached that goal we will make a trip to the big town. I figure they will each need to read between 7-10 books to gain that total number of points. We have had the talk that only books at or above grade level are acceptable. I could just see them reading Dick and Jane...lol. Of course there is a catch. This is only good for the month of September. October will bring another reward.

As for the Wii game, we will be purchasing one this fall. I explained to the picklets that I made a mistake but still intend to keep my end of the bargain. I also explained they need to be patient because I will not have a paycheck I can use until the middle of September. They were cool with that. B-)

I am not sure yet what game we will get. Wii Fit is recommended by one of our local hospitals to keep kids active during the icky weather season. The kids want Super Smash Bros Brawl. I like the look of Wii Fit Plus but it isn't going to be released until October. So we have some time to figure out what will be the best fit for our family.

What incentives do you have in place for your kidlets?