Project Number Two: Pitting the Children Against One Another

It sounds bad, but I hope it won't be.  My kids like money.  They earn their allowances and they like to make more money however they can.  They've been slipping a little over the summer though.  I guess since Aaron is currently working on his behaviours for his other project, I didn't really notice this while Ocean and Ethan were gone.  But they're back and I notice now.   I have to go to the dollar store and pick up three "banks" with locks.  I have a feeling this will work better if they can "see" their money and also see it moving between banks - because it will.

So, project number two is under way.  Here are the rules:

1. Each child will start out with $40 in their "bank".
2. Whenever one child notices that another child has neglected to:
• remove dishes from the table
• tidy up toys/games/books from common area
• take laundry down and put away
• do something else that was asked of them
• is disrespectful
• The observant child gets $1 from the offending child's bank

There is something for everyone in here. Ethan is often forgetful but he is the least likely to bug the crap out of the others so his plus and minus will probably keep him in the game. Aaron is not very forgetful about most things but he's a little bug.  Little things like turning off the TV while someone else is watching it if they won't turn the channel or something like that.  Ocean can probably whip the other two in staying tidy but she can be a horrible bug, which I've told her can be disrespectful to others if they are taking it badly.  Again, it should work out fairly even. 

All three of them are super excited about the chance to earn a possible $120.  I'm even feeling just a little guilty about the fact that the odds are not in anyone's favour to actually do so.  The last one will be the best to keep everyone even (which is why it's there).   At the end of the day, I've offered to give them $120.  Why?

While each of them have certain strengths it is my never-ending hope that they will manage to curb their weaknesses.  What do I get out of it?  To begin with, they're offered an allowance and it costs the same except I get little return because the system is flawed.  Some of them consider earning an allowance to be optional.  Second, I get at least one extra set of eyes.  They will each have to be proactive with this because getting caught by one of the others, and having to "give" them money will not sit well with anyone.  Lastly, because I fully expect them to realize that the possibility of earning way more than they would earn in allowance is never really going to happen because it's rigged... well, maybe I'll manage to remove their urge to gamble later in life too.  Two birds.