Behavior Bucks

This whole school year we have been having behavioral issues with my 1st grader. For a good portion of the year, the school did not see the amount of behavioral issues that were happening at home. However, in the last month, she has gotten in trouble for hitting and hiding under the desk. She has just plain refused to do her work.

So the school counselor and I have sat down and visited several times this year. He showed me this system that takes the blame away when it comes to behavior and discipline. The system is all about choices. It is called the Behavior Bucks system. The goal of this system is to help children learn to make good choices. Also, it helps them to understand the value of money; which can be so hard in today's plastic and direct deposit society.

Basically, you create a Behavior Plan for each child. The behavior plan does not have each chore or little thing listed separately; it only covers the main things that children need to work on. I also implemented earning bucks per chore they complete, but the chore list is separate from the behavior plan. Each day your children can earn Bucks by following the behavior plan. If they choose not to follow the plan they will not earn bucks for that behavior or action.

My 1st grader is a good example of what needs to be included in the behavior plan. She can earn 25 bucks twice a day just for being respectful to others all day long. She has the opportunity to earn 20 bucks each morning by getting up and dressed within a certain amount of time. All of the children earn 10 Bucks per chore they complete daily and an additional 5 Bucks if they follow all basic house rules for the day.

Now that they have started earning Bucks, it is time to start 'buying' things with those Bucks. This system helps you set up a cash in system for the Bucks. Things like playing video games and on the computer, having TV time, going to friend's houses, and sleepovers. For 25 bucks they can play a game for 30 minutes or watch one television show of their choosing.