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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Op here again. One thing that was my best “ploy” and sort of works.. is resulting in a strange effect.

It was working, mind you :)

We started small. They got home, or on a Saturday they’d say “can we watch X or play Y video game?”

I started “do this one task” and then you’re free to play.

The next day, I gave 2 tasks. The next day 3. I worked up to 4.

The tasks are a mix of play, chores, school, helping me, etc. It depends on the kid.

After months of this 4-chore system. Or sometimes on weekends I give them more, or I give them collective projects to work on together… Here is the strange effect. They are just slogging through the work and they hate it. …. Even though some of it is “play outside with friends for a little while.” Or sometimes it’s “pick up 20 things in your room.” “Read 15 minutes” or “practice basketball.”

So I’m teaching them to hate life.

I sort of stopped this whole thing. We go back and forth, if I really really have something for them to do, I give them a chore.

And the other strange effect is now screens are seen as the ultimate thing to work toward.  Because of this, now I’ve set a few screen-free days. But, all in all they do the chores and then feel so entitled to be on screens. I made it the ultimate reward.

Ugh.

All I was trying to do is teach “work before play” and I created something else.

Help!![/quote]

Screen free summer [/quote]

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