Parenting Education Program: Strengthening Family Management Skills
Stacey Woodard is a parent from the CIS Circle of Parents Support Group who was discussing in group about the struggle it has been to get her children to follow through on tasks without having a tantrum. She reported that she was having trouble with her children throwing tantrums when they did not get something that they wanted as well.
Parent Educator Emma Lou Edwards suggested an app that her teacher friend had told her about called GoHenry. It is an online app for a debit card that allows parents to monitor their child’s spending by issuing them prepaid debit cards to which they can keep adding funds. Children earn money by completing pre-determined set of chores and the parental controls restrict the places the children may use the debit cards.
Some of the chores that Mrs. Woodard has set for her children are making their bed every morning, keeping their bathroom clean, cleaning under their bed, cleaning off their plate when finished using it, cleaning up their toys and putting their dirty clothes in the hamper. Stacy reported that her children do not get any money if they only complete some of the tasks; they are to complete all of them for a reward. Stacy is also in charge of setting the reward with her children as they can earn and save points for a big reward or goal such as a lunch date with mom or buying something small such as a game at the store or a toy that they like. She has taught her children that following through with your work and doing a good job is behavior that is rewarded. The negative behavior of throwing a tantrum or not following through with a task asked of you will result in no reward. If her children throw a tantrum for not getting something they wanted, she reports that the reward for the week is taken away and they can try again next week.
Stacey reported that it was a real struggle at first as the children did not like having to follow through on tasks being asked of them but over time with the support from Circle of Parents, and her persistence, it paid off. Stacey reports that her children look forward to completing their chores. It is rare that they do not follow through with them all and her children really enjoy engaging in conversation as to what they would like to do with their reward money. Stacey also reports there are few to no tantrums that are happening in her home now with her children.
