Get The Point?

I've developed a fabulous new system.

Really, it was a stroke of genius.

The kids lost Jersey because Owen whacked her really hard and hurt her.

We took Jersey back over to my parents house to live until we could figure out what to do.

One night, when the kids were bouncing off the walls and Shane was in our room on a phone call it hit me.

Jersey points!

So I explained to the kids they could earn a Jersey point for every time they were obedient or did something really well.  Conversely, they would lose a point every time they fought or disobeyed, etc.  Once they got 20 Jersey points we could bring her home.

I asked them to shower, brush teeth, get on jammies and read in their room until Shane was off the phone, and if they did it nicely they could get one Jersey point.

No time was lost and they were on task, quietly and respectfully.

Shane came out of the room, looked in their room at them all cleaned up and reading quietly and came in to ask me, "What is going on?  I feel like I'm in a different house."

I explained my brilliant idea and he was impressed.  I mean, how could he not be? :)

It was so brilliant, in fact, that I decided it should extend to other aspects of my life.

Morgan woke up dry, so she got a point (5 points equals a trip to Chucky Cheese).

Shane did the dishes after dinner, so he got a point.  He wanted to know what he was earning points for and I told him I didn't know just yet, just that he had earned himself a point.  He sent me a sweet email yesterday and got another point.

It's a great system.

The good news is today the kids got Jersey back.

The bad news is today Shane lost a point.